Melville Storylines

Ilona Mcguire is a Bibbulmun Noongar and Kungarakan artist, renowned for her celebrated place-reponsive reimagining of First Nations stories, working with communities across Australia. Ilona was the feature artist for Melville Storylines 2024 with a Blak Dingo Club curated program across the month. Blak Dingo Club is a Whadjuk-led community club for historically and politically conscious individuals to come together in truth-telling of our shared histories, harmony and celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence.  

Blak Dingo Club Reading Nooks were installed at AH Bracks Library + Creative Space and Wilgi Kaartdijin Mia Willagee Library that offered visitors a chance to explore thoughtfully curated collections of stories as well as inspiring posters celebrating the stories of important people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories. Movie Nights celebrating blak excellence, a reading group and the ultimate Quiz Night filled the month with Blak Dingo Club activities. See the full program here. 

Janine Browne is a writer, artist, poet, founder of the Black Dog Project and a resident of Melville. Janine was the feature artist for Melville Storylines 2023. Janine's Army of Ink characters were installed across the parks of Melville in a public art project, sharing stories of difference and strength because sometimes the stories we tell ourselves are the most powerful.

An installation was showcased at AH Bracks Library + Creative Space to show the process of how Janine lovingly crafts and designs her handmade and self-published Browne Ink Studio books, Janine spoke in conversation at the library and was a feature guest on the first season of The Ville podcast, speaking to the power of story and imaginary friends.

Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa is a passionate storyteller who has a multi-disciplinary creative practice as a producer, writer, filmmaker, theatre-maker, performer, and educator and she grew up in Leeming. Sukhjit was the inaugural feature artist for Melville Storylines in 2022.

Listen to ਪਰਦੇਸ Pardēs by Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa as she responds to belonging and place, and reads us an ode written by her to a colourful Punjabi-influenced childhood in Leeming, or read a copy of the poem here.