Suohpanterror dig beneath the layer of seemingly peaceful broader culture to reveal sinister acts of historical and cultural denial of the responsibility for impacting the Sami lifestyle and environment. Everyday images are co-opted to confront the realities of their people, commenting on colonialism and racism, exploitation by the tourism and energy industries, as well as the environmental impacts of climate change, dam building and logging. Widely disseminated on digital platforms, the images of Suohpanterror offer up a broad critique of colonisation and western capitalism, operating at a grassroots level to call for direct action, and to promote Sami rights.

At Campbelltown Arts Centre, a poster display in the foyer presented works by Suohpanterror, alongside those by Charlotte Allingham, Denilson Baniwa, Demian DinéYazhi´ and R.I.S.E.: Radical Indigenous Survivance & Empowerment, and First Dog on the Moon. They were presented in dialogue with each other, reflecting a vast range of dynamic graphic activism and cultural practices from around the world. These colourful interventions of criss-cross appropriation through humour and serious play offer alternative ways to view the worlds we inhabit, or reflect on real events affecting side-lined communities in ways that don’t frame them as victims. Some of these posters / slogan artworks also appeared on bus shelters around Campbelltown and in the published NIRIN artist book NIRIN NGAAY.

Presented at the 22nd Biennale of Sydney with assistance from Frame Contemporary Art Finland and Office of Contemporary Art Norway Courtesy that artists