Around the world thousands of people are steadfastly preparing for the end of civilisation as we know it. Doomsday preppers, as they’re known, are a manifestation of widespread cultural anxieties which permeate modern society.

Today catastrophe looms on many fronts – we see environmental collapse, disruptive technologies, rising political nativism and global financial uncertainty. While established political systems fail to address these challenges, preppers are hard at work preparing for the worst. They hoard food and weapons, develop extreme survival skills, and practise violent tactical responses to attack and threat. Preppers examines this global subculture and its distinct aesthetics, jargon and apocalyptic fantasies. The exhibition features sculpture, installation, video and hanging works by five artists mutually fascinated by the prepper lifestyle: Tiyan Baker (NSW), Guy Louden (WA/NSW), Loren Kronemyer (USA/TAS), Dan McCabe (WA) and Thomas Yeomans (UK).

The exhibition is the fourth and ultimate instalment of the Preppers project, which has been exhibited in different variations in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth since 2017.

Preppers Panel

On Saturday 18 November 2019, a panel of artists, local political activists, preppers, sustainability experts and first nation perspectives discussed alternative strategies and collective opportunities that have arisen as a result of the Preppers movement.

Facilitated by Erin Coates, FAC Special Projects Curator, the speakers included Shani Graham from Ecoburbia, artist Loren Kronemyer, writer and researcher Cassie Lynch and the Extinction Rebellion‘s Jesse Noakes.

Listen to the panel discussion