When artist Maree Clarke (Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung) speaks about her monumental river reed necklaces, her words carry the same quiet strength and connection that define her work.

Having grown up along the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers, Clarke’s art draws from deep knowledge of Country and materials, reimagining the river reed as a vessel for memory, collaboration and cultural renewal.

Created in partnership with Canberra Glassworks, the works are inspired by the 1862 Ginninderra Reed Necklace, made by local Aboriginal girls near Ginninderra as a wedding gift for their friend, Emma Minnie Palmer.

“I just love the way the glass reeds work so beautifully with the organic reeds,” she says. “It’s been fantastic to finally come up here and see this in the space.”

Watch Maree Clarke reflect on the making of her extraordinary works and learn how you can help ensure they remain part of Canberra’s story for generations to come.

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