Kaiela Arts Editions is a new initiative expanding creative and commercial opportunities for First Nations artists. The inaugural release features a landmark collaboration between internationally acclaimed artist Maree Clarke (Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Boonwurrung, Wamba Wamba) and Melbourne-based studio Spacecraft.

An exclusive limited edition of 40 hand-printed works on archival paper and 10 silkscreen prints on glass created by Maree Clarke, a pivotal figure in the reclamation of south-east Australian Aboriginal art practices, will be unveiled in November  2025 at two special events at Kaiela Arts, Shepparton and Spacecraft, Melbourne.

“Kaiela Arts Editions marks a new direction for the centre. By inviting leading artists like Maree Clarke to collaborate, the program expands creative and commercial opportunities for First Nations artists, supports a new screen-printing program in Shepparton, and offers collectors the rare opportunity to acquire exclusive works that directly sustain cultural practice and community-led futures,” says Chloe Jones, Curator, Kaiela Arts.

The inaugural release draws inspiration from Maree’s revitalisation of traditional river reed necklaces, focusing on the reed through a microscopic lens. Rooted in her time on Yorta Yorta Country and her ongoing dialogue withcommunity, artists and Elders, the editions embody the deep cultural memory, materiality, and connection to place that continue to define Maree’s practice.

“It’s so important to pass on cultural knowledge. It’s who you are, where you’re from. Every new work is about recreating culture in a positive, respectful way – reviving practices not seen for generations and passing that knowledge on,” says artist Maree Clarke.

Printed by Spacecraft, the works use ochres and charcoal collected from Barmah and Cummeragunja, embedding deep cultural and material connections to Country. Commenting on the collaboration Stewart Russell, founder of Spacecraft Melbourne, says, “Working together with Kaiela Arts and Maree has been a deeply rewarding process. At Spacecraft we’re committed to enabling artists’ visions through printmaking, and this project has allowed us to honour both traditional knowledge and contemporary practice.”

Supported by Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS), Creative Victoria and Greater Shepparton City Council, Kaiela Arts Editions strengthens truth-telling, intergenerational practice, and the revitalisation ofsoutheast Australian Aboriginal art.