Reclaim the Void

Reclaim the Void grew from a gathering in Leonora, where First Nations Elders expressed their pain at the holes left on Country by mining. Over 4,000 hand-woven rag rugs have been made by people across Australia and beyond, acknowledging damage done to Country and First Nations custodians, and expressing hope for a better way forward. This half-day interactive installation maps Australia's mining voids and invites people to symbolically lay a rug on a huge map, adding their acknowledgement and care. The project is not anti-mining: it recognises we are all part of this.
Developed with the Ngalia Heritage Research Council and thousands of contributing hands and hearts, Reclaim the Void sparks conversations, reflection, and greater awareness of what we take from the Earth, and how.