CONGRATULATIONS MAREE CLARKE RECIPIENT OF DOCTOR OF ARTS HONORIS CAUSA FROM RMIT

We congratulate Maree Clarke, who received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from RMIT on Wednesday night.

Maree Clarke is renowned for her work reviving traditional possum skin cloaks and contemporary necklace designs incorporating river reeds, kangaroo teeth and echidna quills, using traditional materials as well as the modern application of glass and 3D printing.

Maree’s multimedia installations explore the customary ceremonies and rituals of her Ancestors. Guided by her belief in the power of art to heal, she seeks to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue about the ongoing impact of colonisation to create space for Aboriginal people to mourn their dispossession and loss.

An accomplished scholar, researcher, and leader in her field, Maree nurtures and promotes contemporary southeast Aboriginal artists. She also fastidiously documents her materials, techniques, and practice for future generations and to ensure these methods never go dormant again.

Maree’s work is widely acclaimed. She has exhibited extensively, was the first living Aboriginal artist with traditional ties to Country to feature in a solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, and her artwork appears across all five of Melbourne’s new Metro Tunnel stations.

Maree’s contribution to restoring truth, building understanding, and expanding appreciation of art, culture and stories of the Aboriginal people, is outstanding. She is an inspiration to the RMIT community in Australia and beyond, as a role model of respect, care and creative talent.

Image: Maree Clarke amongst her family at the RMIT Graduation Ceremony.