Artists statement

Maree Clarke is a multi-disciplinary artist from Mildura in northwest Victoria, living and working in Melbourne. Her continuing desire to affirm and reconnect with her cultural heritage makes her a pivotal figure in the reclamation of southeast Australian Aboriginal art practices, reviving elements of Aboriginal culture that were lost over the period of colonisation.

The 'Men and Women in Mourning' series explores the traditional ceremonies of grief and mourning practices from Calrke's Country. It originates from her fascination with Kopi, a gypsum cap worn to express an individual’s mourning of a loved one or significant member of the clan. A Kopi can weigh up to 7kg and the length of time they are worn depends on the person’s closeness to the deceased. When the mourning period was over the Kopi would be placed on the person’s grave.