Craig Redman & Karl Maier aren’t subtle. They never have been. The Brisbane-born, internationally recognised art and design duo are known for their unapologetic use of colour – loud, playful, and impossible to ignore.
Now, they’re back in their hometown to give the city a makeover with Walk This Way, the dramatic centrepiece of Brisbane Festival 2025.
The project sees the pair transform three of Brisbane’s most iconic bridges – the Neville Bonner, Goodwill, and brand-new Kangaroo Point – with sprawling immersive art installations. Think giant inflatables, dazzling hues, and a sense of joy you can’t help but walk through.
“It’s amazing to see Brisbane as the city it is now,” Karl says. “This project grew over more than a year into something immersive, and to realise it here, where we first started out, feels thrilling.”
For Craig, the pull of Brisbane goes back even further, to World Expo 88. “It was transformational – bright, colourful, world-building. To now create our own work on that same site is just cool. What else could you ask for in your career?”
Their practice has always thrived on collaboration, even though geography keeps them apart – Craig in New York, Karl in London. Every day, they log on, brainstorm, and swap ideas across time zones. That rhythm has shaped their global portfolio: murals, fashion collaborations, installations, and illustrations that pop with an unmistakable Craig & Karl fingerprint.
The project feels like a love letter to Brisbane, seen through the eyes of two artists who’ve carried the city with them across the world. It’s not just art slapped on structures, but a full-body experience designed to alter how people see the city.
And the people will get close. Guided walking tours run five times a week, capped at 20 per group, offering not just a stroll but an insight into the duo’s journey from local hopefuls to global design powerhouses. For Craig & Karl, it’s about demystifying the work while keeping the magic intact.
“When you put colour in a public space, it changes the vibe immediately,” Karl says. “It’s democratic. You don’t need an art history degree to feel something when you’re standing under a ten-metre inflatable in hot pink.”
Craig agrees. “We’ve always wanted our work to be open and optimistic. It’s about sparking joy in unexpected places.”
That joy has carried them far. Their work has appeared in The New York Times and in major exhibitions from New York to Shanghai, their CV reading like a passport. But Brisbane, they say, always sits in the DNA of their practice. The subtropical light, the relaxed humour, the bold skies – all of it seeps through their palettes.
“It feels right to bring it back here,” Craig says. “This city gave us our start, and now we get to give something back, in the loudest way possible.”
For audiences, Walk This Way is more than an Instagram backdrop. It’s about reclaiming public space as something shared, playful, and alive. The installations remind you that cities don’t have to be grey or serious – they can be canvases.
And for Brisbane Festival, it’s a statement too. The 2025 programme leans into spectacle, connection, and accessibility. Free tours, student education programmes, and the sheer visibility of the bridges mean the work belongs to everyone. When asked if they see this project as a full-circle moment, Karl doesn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. We’ve shown in London, Tokyo, New York, but this? This feels personal. Brisbane’s not just a backdrop – it’s home.”
“We wanted to make something the city can be proud of, something people will remember,” Craig says. “And for those of us who grew up with Expo 88, maybe it brings back that feeling of stepping into another world.”
Walk This Way runs throughout Brisbane Festival 2025.
