Bushfire Brandalism: in Australia 78 posters against climate denial agendas demand actions

Guerilla posters are all the rage in Australia these days with artivists transforming the streets of Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane into the nation’s biggest unsanctioned campaign advocating for immediate action against climate change.

Organized and realized by 41 artists , 78 advertising posters have been replaced with bespoke thought-provoking images and messages.

Speaking to the current climate crisis seen via devastating drought and unprecedented bush fires, this undertaking is a direct reaction to the feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness experienced nationwide in recent weeks.

“As a collective group of Australian artists, we have been driven to reclaim public advertising space with posters speaking to the Australian government’s inaction on climate change and the devastating bushfires” notes Bushfire Brandalism.

“We do not accept that this situation is ‘ business as usual’. We are making these issues visible in our public spaces and in our media; areas monopolized by entities maintaining conservative climate denial agendas. If the newspapers won’t print the story, we will!”

Original designs focus on a range of subjects including the fossil fuel industry, the bravery of the local firefighters and the destruction of the country’s unique flora and fauna.

With their combined 700,000 social media following, these artists hope to raise awareness of the underlying causes of this abnormal fire season and the actions needed to prevent and control it in the future.

The work installed on local bus stops and similar advertising spaces promote direct access to the relevant information and over 30 charities combating the issue via QR code.

Beyond the bushfires, the intervention speaks more broadly to the use of conventional advertising space in Australia. With one entity controlling 59% of all daily newspaper sales, the artists question the position of the media landscape in Australia and its coverage of issues concerning climate change.

“The practice of ‘brandalism’ – also known as ‘subvertising’ or ‘anti-advertising’ – isn’t new” reports Guardian.

“In 1979, Billboard Utilising Graffitists Against Unhealthy Promotions (colloquially known as “Bugger Up”) was formed in Sydney and spread to other Australian cities, targeting cigarette and alcohol advertising. British artists the KLF have been associated with the practice since the 90s, and in 2015, more than 80 artists took over 600 Parisian bus shelters during the COP21 UN climate change conference.”

The collective which was launched via a group chat of artists on Instagram is not going anywhere sometime soon and is ready to take action against the burning issue of climate change that many still deny.

Follow them in action here.