Ah Sing AUSSIE

Date2016

Object number00055711

NamePoster

Mediumpaper

DimensionsOverall: 1177 × 834 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection

Terms

DescriptionAUSSIE poster featuring a 1911 Exemption to the White Australia Policy photo of Ah Sing by Adelaide street artist and activist Peter Drew. The ‘AUSSIE’ series was inspired by the collection of Certificates of Exemption from the Dictation Test (CEDT) held in the National Archives of Australia. HistorySince 2013, Adelaide street artist and activist Peter Drew has been installing his handmade posters in public space to raise awareness of issues around immigration, asylum seekers and Australian identity. Peter Drew was born in Adelaide in 1983. He holds a Masters degree from the Glasgow School of Art. His artworks have been exhibited at the Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Gallery of Australia, although his most prominent work is installed on city streets. Drew says, 'The aim of my work over the last year has been to pose a question about the casual assumptions that underlie Australia's identity; does ‘Aussie’ describe the people who wrote the White Australia policy, or does ‘Aussie’ have more to do with the people who survived it? I see more to admire in the courage of those who chose to make Australia their home, despite the racial discrimination of its government.' Adelaide street artist and activist Peter Drew created the Australia Says 'Stop the Boats' poster in response to Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s promise during the 2013 federal election campaign, which resulted in the introduction of Operation Sovereign Borders. This was a military-led border security operation that aimed to stop the arrival of seaborne refugees through the disruption of people smuggling operations, boat interceptions and turn backs, and mandatory offshore detention for asylum seekers.SignificanceSince 2013, Adelaide street artist and activist Peter Drew has been installing his handmade posters in public space to raise awareness of issues around immigration, asylum seekers and Australian identity. This poster provides a compelling reflection of the intersection between protest art, politics and national identity. It is a visually engaging, evocative example of poster art as protest art.

This poster provides a compelling reflection of the intersection between protest art, politics and national identity. Peter Drew’s poster locates personal stories and lived experiences within a broader immigration policy framework, giving agency to figures such as Ah Sing as a survivor of the White Australia policy. It reflects the emerging relationship between artists and activists in responding to Australia's changing immigration policies.