The Museum of the Great Southern has become the host of cross-cultural art project Reclaim the Void’s new fortnightly Rug Hub.
Reclaim the Void will create a huge ‘dot artwork’ from thousands of small, circular rugs made by people from across the world using recycled fabric. The artwork will be based on an original painting by Ngalia artist Dolly Walker and used to symbolically seal the “scars” left behind on Country affected by mining in the northern Goldfields.
Museum of the Great Southern Regional Manager Catherine Salmaggi said the Museum is grateful to be a part of the amazing project.
“The workshop attendees are overwhelmingly supportive and enthusiastic in creating the rugs that will lie on Country," she said.
"It is wonderful to see people from diverse backgrounds coming together to input into the large-scale artwork."
The collaborative project between Denmark- based artist Vivienne Robertson and the Ngalia Heritage Research Council (Aboriginal Corporation) has collected 1200 rugs of the 3000 needed to complete the artwork.
Great Southern workshop host Theda Mansholt said participants have been inspired by the Reclaim the Void project.
“The first workshop at the Museum of the Great Southern was a great success, a hive of happy activity,” she said.
“(Participants) were inspired by the project, enjoyed the weaving, and were excited to see their rug as part of the whole picture.”
The free Reclaim the Void workshops will be held every second Saturday starting July 1 at the Museum’s Co-Op Building from 10am to 1pm.
Reclaim the Void has partnered with Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip and regional museums to present a project exhibition, and begin assemblage of the artwork, in 2024. The final artwork will be installed on country by Reclaim the Void in late 2024.
