Adelaide-based street artist Peter Drew is bringing back his 'Aussie' poster series, the provocative public art campaign that challenged narrow definitions of Australian identity and sparked national conversations about immigration and belonging.
According to the ABC, Drew decided to revive the campaign amid what he sees as increasingly hostile rhetoric around immigration and Australian identity in political discourse.
The original 'Aussie' series featured portraits of Australians from diverse backgrounds — refugees, Indigenous people, immigrants from across the world — all labeled simply 'AUSSIE' in bold typography. The posters appeared on walls across Australian cities, subverting expectations about who gets to claim Australian identity.
Mate, this is grassroots political art doing what parliamentary debate can't: forcing people to confront their assumptions about what 'Australian' looks like. Drew's timing matters because Australia is once again having one of its periodic identity crises, and this time the rhetoric is particularly sharp.
The new campaign arrives as immigration has returned to the center of Australian political debate. The Albanese government has tightened visa programs, both major parties compete over who's tougher on border security, and voices like Gina Rinehart's are calling for increased screening of immigrants.
Drew's work represents a different vision: one where Australian identity is expansive rather than restrictive, defined by participation rather than origin. His posters don't argue with words — they simply present faces and assert belonging, forcing viewers to either accept the premise or articulate why they reject it.
The artist gained international recognition for previous campaigns including 'Faces of Australian Asylum Seekers' and 'Real Australians Say Welcome,' which appeared during the peak of Australia's asylum seeker boat arrivals debates in the 2010s. His work has been documented by galleries but lives primarily on street walls, reaching audiences who would never enter an art museum.
Street art has particular resonance in Australian cities, where murals and paste-ups have become part of the urban landscape. Melbourne's laneways are internationally famous for street art, while Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth have developed their own distinct scenes.
Drew works through a technique called 'paste-up' or wheat-pasting, where paper posters are adhered to walls with wheat paste glue. The posters are temporary — they weather, tear, and get covered over — but that impermanence is part of the point. They intervene in public space just long enough to shift conversation, then disappear.
The revival comes as Australia prepares for a federal election likely within the next year, where immigration policy will be a major dividing line. The major parties are competing over border security credentials, while newer parties push for increased humanitarian intake.
Drew doesn't claim to offer policy solutions. His contribution is visual disruption: images that challenge viewers to examine who they include in 'us' and who they exclude. In a debate increasingly dominated by statistics and security framing, his posters insist on seeing individuals.
The new 'Aussie' posters are expected to appear in capital cities over coming weeks. Unlike gallery art, you won't need a ticket to see them. Just eyes and a willingness to look at your neighbors differently.
