MIDLAND Junction Arts Centre (MJAC) will be holding an open day this weekend on Saturday, November 30 from 11am to 3pm to celebrate the completion of two years of heritage works, and the centre’s history.

The event will be a celebration and recognition of the history of MJAC, the land on which it is built and the rich stories of the people who are part of the fabric of Midland Junction and its community, with exhibitions curated to share their story.

The day will be jam packed with family-friendly events, including the opening of two exciting new exhibitions, Building Fabric and Interior, featured in Curated collection of precious objects at MJAC, free art and educational activities, music and dancing, all culminating in a gala fashion parade in celebration of Eco Fashion Week Australia.

There will also be a historical drop-in session with the Midland and Districts Historical Society where people are invited to bring in photographs and stories of their connection to Midland Junction, along with a display of hundreds of primary school student artwork depicting their ideas to protect local waterways.

The Interior exhibition will be held in the West gallery featuring a selection of leading WA designers and an artist’s residency presenting the work of Mollie Edgecombe, a painter and designer who grew up on Edgecombe Brother’s vineyard, Swan Valley.

New works by invited artists will be shown alongside historical information and works on loan from local collections.

The artworks have been selected to tell a story of Midland Junction’s growth, from a rich natural habitat nestled between the hills, the Swan (Derbarl Yerrigan) and Helena rivers (Mandoon) to a junction of industry and learning.

Taking inspiration from the region’s iconic landforms and architectural heritage, invited artists will form a shared experience of the fabric of history connected with significant places that have contributed to the identity of the region.

According to MJAC, what is now known as Midland was named Midland Junction in 1901, emerging from a tent city built on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people, a significant meeting place with sites saturated with stories of Aboriginal custodianship of more than 60,000 years.

With the establishment of the Midland Railway Company in 1895, the region’s population and infrastructure grew rapidly.

Along the banks of the river the agricultural industry was blossoming, the rail connected Midland to the sea and inland farms and area became known as a place of industry and makers.

In 1896 Midland Junction School was established and continues to be a place of learning.

The artworks in Building Fabric share a journey of personal and collective stories from loss of habitat, the impact of industry, cultivation of the land, to reconnections and significant places which support, connect and educate.

Building Fabric features the work of Hans Arkeveld, Madeleine Clear, Allon Cook, Phillip Cook, Eva Fernandez, Nigel Hewitt, Ben Joel, Jessica Jubb, Norma MacDonald, Cyndy Moody, Moorditj Maaman Men’s Group, Sue Starcken, Jude Taylor and Richard Woldendorp.

The exhibition will be open and free to the public at MJAC, located on the corner of Cale Street and Great Eastern Highway, from Saturday, November 30 until Sunday, February 16.

For more information visit: https://www.midlandjunctionartscentre.com.au/open-day-2024 or contact MJAC by telephone or email on (08) 9250 8062 or info@midlandjunctionartscentre.com.au