Peter Drew works swiftly, transforming a blank city wall into a work of art designed to spark questions about what it means to be Australian.

The efficient movements of the Adelaide artist should come as no surprise – he has plastered as many as 5,000 of his striking “Aussie” posters on city walls around the country – and he’s about do more.

As he brushes starchy glue on the wall to hold up the colourised archival images on Sunday, people glance and occasionally pause, curious.

View image in fullscreen Drew works quickly as he pastes his posters on public walls in Adelaide on Sunday. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/The Guardian

A man in a One Nation T-shirt wanders up with a friendly smile – he needs directions to the nearby anti-immigration protest.

Sign up: AU Breaking News email

See Full Page