Working across painting and sculpture, Marikit Santiago co-opts her practice with references, imagery, and symbolism from her Australian-Filipino ancestry, Catholicism, and the Western Art canon. Within these pluralities, she interrogates their existing contradictory sensations, values, and ideas. 

In 2020, Marikit won the prestigious Sir John Sulman Prize for her work ‘The divine’, which examines the concepts and principles surrounding faith, creation stories, motherhood, cultural heritage and gender roles. Marikit was also a two-time finalist for the Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, a 2019 Sulman Prize finalist, and was shortlisted for Create NSW’s 2018 Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship. In 2018, the Churchie Emerging Art Prize at the Institute of Modern Art awarded Marikit with the Sam Whiteley Commendation Award. 

Marikit’s notable exhibitions include the Bayanihan Philippine Art Project (2017), which toured to Art Gallery New South Wales, Blacktown Arts Centre, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Mosman Art Gallery and Peacock Gallery; New Sacred (2018) at Mosman Art Gallery; I LOVE YOU MELISSA (2018) at The Lock Up; Mahal (2018) at Firstdraft; and Everyday Madonna (2019) at Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre. 

Marikit graduated with a Master of Fine Art (2017) from the University of New South Wales, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours Class I) in 2011and a Bachelor of Medical Science (2007). During this time, she was awarded a Dean’s Award for her undergraduate degree and the Australian Postgraduate Award for her Masters degree. Her work features in private and public collections across Australia.