Maree Clarke
Born of the Land
Clarke’s installations of photography, painting and sculpture further explore the rituals and ceremonies of her ancestors.
2014
sculptural video installation
dimensions variable
video duration: 1:48 mins
Video produced by SW Productions
About
This work evokes the spirit of my Ancestors and draws on the traditional mourning practices of the past to tell new stories about the history of Aboriginal resilience in southeast Australia. The viewer can see, hear and feel my story, which challenges notions that Aboriginal people from southeast Australia are no longer here. The work is one of juxtapositions, as I move from the past to the present, standing strong on the Country of my Ancestors to reveal contemporary representations of who I am and where I come from. Branches from along the Murray River frame my story, offering a natural element from my Ancestral lands, in contrast with the artificial video installation. All these elements together provide another lens through which to view the many different ways of being Aboriginal. As Aboriginal people we are connected to place, yet we may live away from place; we are connected to stories and people from the past, yet they continue to resonate in our lives today. All these things and more inform my work, as I create and reclaim my cultural heritage as a contemporary Aboriginal artist.
Maree Clarke, 2014
Presented as part of: Experimenta Recharge: 6th International Biennial of Media Art, which toured Australia in 2014–2016.
The Artist
Maree Clarke
Maree Clarke, a Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Boonwurrung woman from northwest Victoria. She is a pivotal figure in the reclamation of southeast Australian Aboriginal art practices, reviving elements of Aboriginal culture.