Matthew Clarke King of the ghost wallabies

‘My brushstrokes have been described as “fiery”, and it feels like these strokes flowed with passion into this wallaby sculpture,’ says Matthew Clarke.

Clarke has been bewitched by wallabies since 2012, when one appeared outside his loungeroom window. He finds the animal’s fugitive habits mysterious and compelling – the wallaby appears and disappears like a mythical creature.

Based in his hometown of Warrnambool on Gunditjmara Country, Clarke explains that his surroundings are a constant inspiration, ‘whether it is wallabies coming into my garden, water birds on the river, or windfarms popping out of the landscape – or things that are as simple as my letterbox’.

Clarke’s self-portrait has also been selected for this year’s Sulman Prize. He was previously an Archibald finalist in 2021.