Berninneit artist receives RMIT honorary doctorate

Artist Maree Clarke was the recipient of the RMIT University's Doctor of Arts honoris causa, in recognition of her exceptional leadership and impact on southeast Australian Aboriginal art and cultural practice.

Clarke created the permanent public artwork - Yawa (Long Journey) - that hangs from the ceiling of the great hall at Berninneit.

She accepted the honour alongside over 10,500 graduating students at Marvel Stadium in December.

"My art practice is more than about making art," Clarke reflected in her acceptance speech.

"It's about cultural reclamation, reviving, preserving, and sharing cultural knowledge and creative art practices of southeast Aboriginal communities."
Yawa (Long Journey) at Berninneit consists of 30 glass panels shaped and suspended to form a glass canoe.

Members of the local community literally helped to create the artwork. Several hundred people took part in workshops run by Maree Clarke early in the year to help create the glass sections, which were then sent to Canberra to be blown.

The glass canoe was officially unveiled in June.

Clarke's work is widely acclaimed. She has exhibited extensively, was the first living Aboriginal artist to present a solo exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, and her artwork now features across all five of Melbourne's new Metro Tunnel stations.

Professor Tim Marshall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and President, RMIT College of Design and Social Context, said RMIT was proud to recognise Clarke's achievements with this honour.

"Maree's extraordinary contribution to First Nations cultural reclamation has been transformative to the cultural tapestry of Melbourne/Naarm, not only in preserving and revitalising traditional knowledge and practices in collaboration with her community, but in rendering them visible within and outside the gallery context.

"Her landmark public artworks ensure First Nations voices have prominent expression in our shared urban landscape."