In 2021 we made a show for Arone Meeks. This show marks a personal milestone and its journey to reality was far from ideal. I met with Arone Meeks in late 2019 and we discussed how the show might be realised onto the Library in Cairns. Aaron is a Kuku Midigi man, raised in Yarrabah and Mission Beach, Far North Queensland, his country being the area around Laura, Cape York.
Sadly, Arone passed before we had finalised the show and then there was a delay due to the covid years. The final show placed us in a tricky situation, how do we tell the story of the artwork, which contains so much or Arone’s ancestral story without him still being here to guide us? We were fortunate to have the support of his partner Geoff Dixon and the Council staff to press on and continue.
Our design team of Anna Fraser and Julian Burgess with soundscape designed by Nick Wishart produced a remarkable show that I am hopeful Arone would have been proud of.

Spirit Ark is based on Arone’s personal story, as navigated by the stars, the boat being both a symbolic vehicle allowing him to travel to the dreaming whilst making a connection with country, spirit and place. This is a fitting tribute to this man who has given the region so much from his artistic life.