Converse City Forests Melbourne

​Global campaign hits Melbourne’s (Naarm) streets as Converse collaborates with Amplify and All Star member and Gumbaynggirr artist/activist Aretha Brown to paint a mural that not only cleans the air, but sparks conversation around Indigenous urban identity and the importance of elders within the community.

The mural, located at the Converse Fitzroy store uses air purifying paint that absorbs the equivalent air pollutant of 128 trees in inner city Melbourne. Globally, Converse has activated these sustainable murals from Singapore to São Paulo and ‘planted’ the equivalent of 8,033 trees (and counting).

​The Artist​

Known for her activism as well as her art, Aretha was named the Prime Minister of the National Indigenous Youth Parliament in 2017 and uses her creativity as a vehicle to bring awareness to issues facing Indigenous and First Nations Peoples.

The design for this Converse City Forest Mural draws on multiple themes. It is a celebration of Aboriginal matriarchs and signifies the integral role of elders as a pillar for community, whilst also acknowledging the role of young mob and how Indigenous culture exists within modern life.

​The Message​

Education is a vital aspect to Aretha’s creative work and activism so City Forests Melbourne  is run in support of the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition (NIYEC), whose work aims to mobilise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth to drive a new education ecosystem of their own design, and promote the message to ‘Teach Blak History’ in Australian schools.  Giant QR codes located next to the mural take passers by to a Converse webpage that profiles Aretha as an artist, explains the meaning behind the mural and shares links to the NIYEC website.

As part of the campaign a  limited-edition 'teach blak history' t-shirt, also designed by Aretha sold out within 24 hours of release with 100% of proceeds being donated to NIYEC, in support of their invaluable work with Australia’s Indigenous youth. 

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