IMAGE ABOVE: Youth crew during a rehearsal under the railway bridge, warming up with Michelle Hall.

RIPAIRIAN
Vahri McKenzie & Gemma Ben-Ary
7 Sept - 9 Nov 2025
At Midland Junction Arts Centre

Ripairian the project celebrates Mandoon Bilya (Helena River), through riverwork, performance, and community connection, responding to the ecological and social complexities of the site, and guided by three cues; rubbish, weeds and graffiti.

This installation work - The Ripairian Zone - is just one strand of the overall project, and includes an original sound-element created by composer / musician, Michael Terren.

The project space at MJAC has been transformed into an immersive museum of artefacts reflecting the three cues; rubbish, weeds and graffiti. Weeds are represented in the Arum Lily wallpaper, handmade from Xuan paper and printed using the lino-block technique and hand-made marri-gum ink. Trash Tails hang in festoons, revealing the social uses of the site through the detritus left behind - aerosol cans, bottles, dog's balls, bike parts, and iron clasps and pegs from the train lines. Graffiti is reflected through eco-inks on woolen garments, when messages are scrawled like tags onto yoga mats, and bodies are pressed into the inks. 

Photos by Josh Wells.

Listen to an excerpt of Michael's composition here: