2005 marked Gertrude Contemporary’s 20th anniversary, and the organisation celebrated with a major exhibition and publication.

The exhibition component of A Short Ride in a Fast Machine ran from 22 July - 27 August 2005.

For the first time in 200 Gertrude Street's 20-year history, the entire building was engaged by a dynamic and multi-faceted exhibition which looked over Gertrude's 20-year history and also towards its future, by presenting exciting works which continued Gertrude's commitment to presenting the latest innovations in exploratory, critically-engaged contemporary art practice. As well as Gertrude's 3 gallery spaces, visitors had the opportunity to explore 200 Gertrude Street's corridors, studios and stairwells through a myriad of works installed throughout the building. The Gertrude studios housed collaborations between past and present Gertrude studio artists; and a digital archive of exhibitions, studios, openings and events held at Gertrude over the past 20 years was presented in the back room, alongside a comprehensive collection of catalogues, journals, publications and other significant texts which have influenced and expanded Australia's visual culture.