Reclaim the Void, a project representing the sadness expressed by Ngalia Elders over the many open mining pits dotting their land, aims to create a significant textile artwork in the form of a 'dot', which will be installed on land affected by mining.
The finished piece, inspired by a painting by the late Ngalia Elder and land custodian, DW, will tell the story of the country.
The project has been in progress for more than two years after being born from Ngalia Elders in Leonora, Western Australia, expressing their pain and grief at 'those gaping mining holes left all over our country'.
The vision will produce a large 'dot' masterpiece crafted from 3,000 hand-woven rugs produced using discarded materials and donated by individuals from various regions of Australia and beyond.
The final piece, influenced by a painting created by the late Ngalia Elder and guardian of the land, will narrate the tale of the land it covers, specifically the Ngalia tjukurrpa parna - a sacred area - located in the north-east Goldfields.
The upcoming phase of this ambitious endeavour involves assembling these rugs into individual dots that will form a massive artwork, projected to cover an area of approximately 2500 square metres.
The assembly process will occur at Hackett Hall in the WA Museum. The final installation will be completed on Ngalia tjukurrpa parna, a sacred land in the north-east Goldfields.
Ngalia cultural leader, Kado Muir, said traditional owners are participating in a cultural and sacred activity, sharing stories and creating art to restore the earth's essence.
"We're working at a cultural and sacred level, creating a community of people each weaving their stories, contributing to an artwork that makes a statement about reclaiming the spirit of earth," Ms Muir said.
Reclaim the Void is a convergence of land art, modern textiles, narrative, and heritage that embodies a collective yearning for harmony and represents the joint acknowledgment of the living, fragile, and sacred nature of the land.
The Assemblage exhibition will commence on Wednesday, 3 July at 5pm, with the opening ceremony to be conducted by Western Australian Minister for Culture and the Arts, David Templeman and will feature a Welcome to Country by Carol Innes.
Additionally, there will be informative talks by project collaborators Kado Muir and Vivienne Robertson.
From 4-8 July twenty volunteers will be available in the mornings and afternoons to assist Ms Robertson in tying the rugs.
On Friday 5 July at 7pm, there will be a special event called 'Concert in the Rugs' featuring Noongar singer Gina Williams and Guy Ghouse.
During the WAM opening hours from the July 4-8 the public is also invited to observe the assemblage and participate in weaving activities.
