City of Belmont - Ruth Faulkner Public Library

Poster boy, a memoir of art and politics, Peter Drew

eng

autobiography

illustrations

no index present

non fiction

Poster boy

Peter Drew

a memoir of art and politics

Artist Peter Drew wanted a better Australia. In 2013, frustrated at the political discussion around asylum seekers, he put up a poster, commenting on Australia's offshore detention. What followed was an outpouring of community support, and a national, then global, following for his art. As Peter's profile rose, he began to question his beliefs -- a struggle that led to destructive behaviour and affected his relationships. When compelled to face a painful family legacy, Peter realised that his behaviour and his motivation to make art shared a common thread: his father. Their relationship had been shaped by an outdated Australian machismo -- a mix of bravado, inadequacy and shame that not only affects sons and their fathers, but informs social relations more broadly, including the way we as a nation treat outsiders. Told with humour, sincerity and an attentive eye, Peter's story is both intimate and inclusive, drawing a parallel between our personal relationships and Australia's national narratives. This is a book about family and identity, about the lies we tell ourselves and the past we bury. It is an expedition to be a better citizen of his country

adult