After contributing to decades of protests from the Northern Rivers to New York, the legendary artivist Benny Zable returned to Melbourne earlier this year to work with the team at Fundere Foundry in an effort to replicate his iconic masked character in bronze.
The Echo caught up with Benny in Melbourne, shortly before his return to the Northern Rivers to promote this project.
He explained that the first stage was to have himself scanned by Fundere’s Cameron McIndoe in three dimensions wearing the iconic costume, in order to create a mould.
The resulting mini statues are now available for sale to help fund the larger project.
After a full scale polystyrene base was created, Benny sculpted the details of the statue over that with plasticine, creating a new mould, which then led to the first full-size statue, which has now been painted, creating a powerfully resonant object which embodies the power of Benny’s decades of messaging and performance art.
Benny Zable turned 80 in 2025, and credits Graeme Dunstan for connecting him with Cameron McIndoe, and creating this next stage in his lifelong work of artivism, which now has the potential to continue beyond him.
Killing life on Earth
Tell us about the philosophy of what you’re hoping to achieve with this work?
‘Well, at this time as we speak, the military industrial complex is just running rampant. And the current generation is in a dilemma. We’ve got climate change. We’ve got the pollution of radioactive waste; everything is on the increase, even though we know it’s causing cancers.
‘It’s killing life on Earth. The whole web of life is being dismantled as we speak. And so I’ve been doing this public awareness campaign, including the flags and banners, and work that goes into installations at different events, but the performance piece is the most powerful single thing I do myself.’
Is the idea to make multiple statues?
‘So far there’s just one that’s made, for Melbourne. It’s on a trolley and almost ready to go,’ Benny explained.
‘I’m waiting for a friend of mine who’s in Canberra with ICAN [International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons] and ACF, Dave Sweeney, trying to convince the Australian government not to amp up the nuclear legislation that they’re discussing for Australia.
‘When he returns he’ll help me with the statue campaign.’
The Greedozer/Protester character has had many iterations over the years, and varies its appearance details according to the event.
The latest statue version holds a broken missile and also carries messages about climate change, fossil fuels, and the power of personal responsibility.
United Nations
Benny Zable is hoping that bronze versions of his statue will find homes in the spiritual home of protest, Byron Bay, and also in New York, outside the UN building, as an ongoing reminder of what’s at stake.
He has long connections with New York, having been involved with numerous ecological events there, and this was also the home of his wife, who tragically died of cancer a few years ago, in part due to the failures of the American health system.
So, you’ve been spending all these years trying to draw people’s attention to all these crises, and as you say, it’s just getting worse and worse. How are you not falling into despair?
‘Well, you know, I’m 80 years of age, and I’m blessed.
‘I’ve got this far with all the dramas, and I’m lucky to be alive, with all the pushing and shoving and the places I’ve been to, for the actions I’ve been involved in. To me, every day is a blessing.’
Benny has been arrested countless times, and roughed up by security guards and police, forced off his barrels at great height and sometimes being assaulted for drawing attention to uncomfortable truths.
Since the origins of his character at Middle Head over 40 years ago, he’s been a presence at every protest that mattered, including the Franklin Blockade, Jabiluka, the Bentley Blockade and Rising Tide.
So what can people do now to help you with this project, and help cover the costs?
Byron Bay
While in Byron Bay, Benny Zable has organised discussions about potential installation sites for the Protester sculpture, where international visitors can see the statue and learn what it means, if Byron Council agrees.
Benny says he will also be decorating the Chai Tent at the next Channon Market on Sunday, if anyone in the Northern Rivers would like to catch up with him there.
He will then be heading down to the Rising Tide blockade in Newcastle, drawing attention to the climate emergency at the world’s biggest coal port.
He says that after many years based in the NSW Northern Rivers he’s now enjoying living in Melbourne, where he grew up, and where his two brothers still live.
Benny says his health is still strong, crediting his vegan organic diet, and is also active in Victoria challenging the anti-mask laws, which are affecting people beyond the ultra-nationalist community.
This week, he was surprised to find himself and his costume prominently featured in an exhibition on protest at the Old Treasury Building, next to Parliament House in Melbourne.
The place of protest
How do you feel about the place of protest in our society, after all these years?
‘Protesting is a very important part of our civil liberties,’ he said.
‘Without protests, we wouldn’t have had the victories we’ve had. Now nuclear proliferation is back, with Trump wanting to do tests again. It’s just crazy.’
In addition to his environmental work, Benny Zable has also tried over the years to bring ordinary Israelis and Palestinians together, via various artistic actions in Jerusalem and elsewhere, and says he’s pleased to see that this is now a growing movement, despite the war in Gaza.
So what’s the biggest issue for you now, globally?
‘They’re all important,’ he said. ‘At the moment, nature is going to smash us. We’re seeing it happen more and more. The climate is changing and and becoming more extreme, and nature is thrashing about.
‘The nuclear issue, absolutely, because there have been many close calls and and false alarms, and we’re lucky there hasn’t been a major nuclear exchange. Donald Trump is really ramping it up, and it’s dangerous.’
What can an individual do?
You’ve devoted your life to drawing attention to these things, and a lot of Australians are still very reluctant to go to protests or to add their voice.
Have you got anything to say to people who would never go to a protest, or who don’t regard individual humans as having any power over these massive issues?
‘Yes, anything you can do to raise your voice creates waves beyond yourself. It’s in your interest and the interest of future generations to do something right now, in whatever way – non-violently, of course.’
So any action is better than no action?
‘Yes, Facebook sharing and coming to events and bearing witness to disasters… whatever. It’s all-encompassing.’
While a lot of Benny Zable’s work over the years has sadly proved to be ephemeral, from the burnt Aquarius shopfronts he painted in Nimbin to the lost and stolen props and artworks, his Protester character lives on in the mind of anyone who has witnessed it, and is also present in major cultural collections including the Powerhouse and Museum of Australia.
Now there’s an opportunity to give this character an even more enduring life.
To learn more about Benny Zable’s bronze project, and find out how to get involved, please go to the Fundere Foundry website, or you can find Benny directly on Facebook.
Cloudcatcher Media’s short film about Benny and the history of his Protester character can be viewed below:
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