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Mari Funaki
Mari was born in Matsue, Japan and arrived in Australia in 1979. After completing studies in painting and gold & silversmithing at RMIT University, she opened Gallery Funaki in 1995 to promote national and international contemporary jewellery. Mari works as Director of Gallery Funaki whilst maintaining an active career as a contemporary jeweller and maker of sculptural mild steel vessels.
There is a strong personal visual language in Mari’s work – her jewellery and objects express how she sees the world around her. She works very intuitively, using mild steel and gold to make brooches, bracelets, rings and objects, each piece imbued with a sense mystery and surprise. Her work starts with a sketch, then the details of the form are developed through the making process. She is particularly interested in the interplay between negative and positive volume and spaces, the juxtaposition between inside and outside.