In developing their ideas for this exhibition, these artists drew inspiration from FUMA’s collection of political posters focusing on the works of the Progressive Art Movement (PAM) – a multi-arts group established at Flinders University in the 1970s. Upholding Marxist-Leninist ideologies, PAM artists fiercely opposed American imperialism and advocated for the struggles of the working class. They eschewed art commodification, favouring prints and posters as immediate and accessible mediums for political expression.

Informed by PAM’s agendas, motivations and artistic processes, the five contemporary artists have explored the relationship of their own practices to complex and urgent issues of the 21st century. Themes such as inequality, environmental degradation, surveillance, fake news, consumer culture and the aftermath of colonisation, resonate strongly in their new commissions, reflecting the pervasive unease of our times.

Like their predecessors, today’s artists critique entrenched power structures with a personal urgency, revealing how the political and the personal are intertwined in navigating complex global challenges. By exposing forces that perpetuate injustice, contribute to environmental harm and enable the spread of misinformation, they compel us to confront these daunting challenges and call us to envision a more equitable and sustainable future.