Peter Drew, Australia’s street artist of the year in 2019, is known for his ‘Aussie’ street art series. Most recently, he has landed himself in hot water over the emergence of copycat posters across Melbourne. These posters show the likeness of accused Bondi gunman Naveed Akram. They misrepresent Drew’s original intention of multiculturalism and diversity being celebrated in Australia.
Drew’s ‘Aussie’ series features newly restored images of migrants captured by Goddard in the early 20th century, celebrating their contributions to building a better nation. On his posters, he places the word “Aussie” in large letters below each depiction, sending a strong message of inclusiveness. The recently surfaced posters mimic Drew’s style but carry a profoundly different message, featuring Akram’s face and the same word beneath it.
“This is not the first time my posters have been subverted,” said Drew. It brought him back to a moment ten years earlier. Right then and there, people on the extreme left were appropriating his work for their own purposes.
In response, Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece denounced the copycat posters as “absolutely abhorrent.” He made it clear that appropriating Drew’s work to produce harmful images should be extremely insulting to the community. Reece suggested that we might require new state and Commonwealth legislation. These laws would be a step in the right direction towards addressing vandalism and misuse of public art.
It’s no coincidence that the subverted posters mirror Drew’s initial aesthetic so closely. This similarity only serves to make the imitation more jarring and concerning. Chairman of the Anti-defamation League Abraham Foxman said the decision undermines national ethos. He continued, “If you admire, glorify and celebrate the mass murder on a public space, then you need to be punished.” He called on law enforcement authorities to find those responsible for the posters and apply appropriate legal action.
Drew’s intention with his artwork is clear: to honor Australia’s multicultural fabric. Sadly, the recent misuse of his art only further complicates this mission and makes us question who is held accountable in our public spaces.
