ISSN 2207-001X January 2026
What an interesting way to start the New Year! I’ve just read a Reclaim the Void update issued in December 2025 by Vivienne Robertson the project’s creative director and co-founder, who emphasizes that the project is about community, conciliation, and a shared responsibility for environmental impact and overconsumption. The process of weaving the rugs in community groups or at camps on country has been a central part of the healing process.
An unexpected weather event last year meant the opportunity to install the rugs on the nominated site was lost. A new site has not yet emerged, and so Vivienne says;
“We are learning to be patient, allowing the project to unfold in its own way and its own time.
In the meantime… those rugs wanted to be out and about and laid down on the earth and the communities who made rugs have been calling for them. So, in September 2025, 500 of the smaller rugs went on a road trip!”
To: Kojonup:Yakkan – Artist: Jessica Romic, Collaboration with Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation and Noongar Community of Kojonup WA. Drone photo: Jane Hammond
Katanning: Kartanup – Artist: Tina Hansen Meeting place for tribes. Collaboration with Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation and Noongar Community of Katanning, WA. Drone photo: Jane Hammond
Kwa – Artist: Way Moo Collaboration with Badgebup Aboriginal Corporation and Karen, Community of Katanning, WA. Drone photo: Jane Hammond
And then to Bold Park Community School, in Boorloo/Perth: Woordawoort – Artist: Rubeun Yorkshire. Collaboration with Bold Park Community School. Drone photo: Liang Xu
Photos taken at these events by Nic Duncan can been seen in Vivienne’s newsletter. To receive the newsletter with more news and updates, go to Reclaim the Void’s website scroll down to [SUBSCRIBE] and enter your email address.
A film, Reclaim the Void: Threads of the Journey, will be released the 2nd week of January. Keep an eye on social media! The launch is in Denmark, Western Australia – Friday Jan 9th 5.30pm at the Denmark Artshouse.
The “rugalogue” is also nearing launch.
Over 4,000 rugs have been collected from contributors worldwide. The project is creating a “rugalogue,” an interactive digital catalogue that will allow people to virtually find their specific rug within the final 40x40m artwork and read the personal stories or reflections shared by the makers.
The first “assemblage” days were held
at the WA Museum, Boola Bardip.
Kath a member of the Wanneroo group and I volunteered, not quite sure what it would entail. When we arrived found there was plenty of signage and videos to explain the project for those who weren’t rug makers, but had come along after seeing the assemblage sessions advertised by the museum.
Wall signage showed how the smaller dots would be tied together to form the dots of various sizes numbered on a section of the concept image.
The first days involved volunteers sorting the hundreds of rugs woven on hula hoops, into piles of “like” colours stacked around the edge of the room. After a general explanation on how to select from the various colours, enough mats to make a dot of a certain size and it’s border colours, the volunteers were divided into groups of four or five to work together on each dot creation – that’s when I discovered many people see colours diferently; it took a lot of swapping out of placed rugs by different people before the group came up with a finished dot.
When it was time to get down to work, literally, this volunteer wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to get up! These images by Nic Duncan were taken at the beginning of the dot assemblage which lasted for several days either side of a weekend in July 2024.
After Kath and I had listened to the explanation given at the begining of each day, I took this image of the assemblage I was working on; Kath, in a black and grey jacket, in the background walking over a completed yellow dot with red centre and white border. Thinking I’d be smart I took with me a small folding stool, bottom righthand corner of this photo, but I soon discovered that it wasn’t going to work; not low enough, I couldn’t get close enough to tie the rugs together so I finished up spending the best part of the day on the floor!
Before the large finished dots were rolled up and tied, the number on each individual rug was recorded on a spreadsheet along with information showing the dots location on the painting (Section: Dot#,Diameter,Colour,Border,Diameter,Border colour).
As the rugs had been received they were numbered on fabric tags firmly tied to each rug and the weavers name and location recorded. With thousands of rugs coming in from across Australia and around the world this was a mamoth task. These recorded details are the basis for the previously mentioned “rugalogue” an interactive digital catalogue.
Signing off with a couple of images of the Wanneroo Rugmakers;a few of the rugs made by the group and Tricia weaving a dot rug.
Wishing everyone a SAFE & HAPPY NEW YEAR Jo Franco