Love Freo

I walked down Adelaide Street today and noticed that the big screen was back up in the grounds of The Film and Television institute and that means Bohemia is back. Last year I went to see some great short films followed by a screening of Zombieland. It’s a sweet venue and cheaper that Hoyts, you should check it out.

23rd Feb: RAW… “a mixed bag of funny, charming and fresh short films from some of WA’s hottest young filmmakers”.

25th Feb: Mad Max presented by the Japanese Bike Show. (A range of classic Japanese bikes and muscle cars will be on show, inside the cinema.)

Tickets $15 (Full) or $5 (FTI Members)
Gates open @ 6:30pm – Screening starts 7:45pm, Princess May Park, Adelaide Street.
Call (08) 9431 6700 or mail fti@fti.asn.au to book your ticket

More info on the FTI website.

If there’s anything like ‘contemporary classical music’, this is what some of WA’s finest musicians are going to perform tomorrow night in Fremantle Arts Centre’s Inner Courtyard as part of this year’s Perth Festival. Expect two grand pianos being played in the main gallery, while the audience listens from outside, beautiful sounds that will echo around the gothic walls and works by recent composers like Steve Reich, Andy Akiho, Osvaldo Golijov, and more. For more info see the Festival’s website.

Perth Festival
Soft Soft Loud | The Americas
Sunday 12 February 2012
7:30pm (gates open at 7pm)
Fremantle Arts Centre

Thanks to Tomás Fogarty for passing on these photos and his observations on these new paste-ups circulating around North Freo at the moment.

The image is very striking and topical particularly as it seems to have appeared on Bob Marley’s birthday* and has a quote from one of his songs scribed onto it. It also appears to have a range of very strong political messages relevant to WA.

*6th February 1945.

He noticed 10 in total most located near the Railway hotel.

Cost of livin’ gets so high,
Rich and poor they start to cry:
Now the weak must get strong;
They say, “Oh, what a tribulation!”
Them belly full, but we hungry;

Bob Marley

It’s not often in life that you get to say that you’re number one at something. This month we’re top of the charts over at New Edition and pleased as punch about it.

In 2002, Horatio T birdbath and Joe Record collaborated on a mural wall at Gino’s. You know the one, it’s a bit of a landmark, can’t miss it. Every now and then it gets a touch up. Last Thursday I spotted Horatio doing a bit of work.

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After 20 years of supporting Western Australian artists, many of them from Fremantle and now well established, the Mark Howlett Foundation is calling it quits – but not without throwing a final party, which is happening tonight at the Arts Centre. There will be a live performance by Lucky Oceans / Dave Brewer Band with special guest Dom Mariani, playing together for the first time. They’ll also launch the limited edition 100-page, fully illustrated hardcover MHF book, which looks back at the past 20 years of the Foundation.

George Haynes, 1992, photograph by Richard Woldendorp

MHF exhibition in the 90s at the Moores Building

Giles Hohnen in his studio, 1994

Saturday 21st January, 6:30pm
MHF Closing Party and Book Launch

Fremantle Arts Centre,
1 Finnerty Street,
Fremantle.

Brightening up the wall in the car park beside Coles…

Rio is coming to Freo

Fremantle Carnevale is only a month away – just enough time to get your costumes ready. Following the rich tradition of carnivals around the world, the program sounds awesome – opening night celebration, cabaret, events for kids, costume ball, carnival rally, Mardi Gras, photo and art exhibitions, … lots of fun is to be had. More info on Fremantle Carnevale’s website.

Fremantle Carnevale
10-21 February 2012
at Kulcha and in the streets and cafes of Freo

In no particular order here’s a few things that went on month by month in 2011.

January

Breathtaking Australia day fireworks at Fishing Boat Harbour.

February

Hand-painted chip shop sign on South Terrace.

March

Wares from The Space, Point Street, part of the Renew Fremantle Program supported by mayor Brad Pettitt.

April

Lucky Diamond Rich preforms in front of Fremantle Prison at the Street Arts Festival.

May

South Beach offers up another epic sunset.

June

Gage Roads Fremantle Port.

July

The High Street wakes up from hibernation for the Hidden Treasures music festival.

August

South Beach gets eaten alive in Winter storms.

September

An unusual stencil pops up on Mouat Street.

October

ROA paints us a Numbat.

November

Bathers Beach Boardwalk finished, open and ready for the Summer.

December

Kelp at Kidogo opens and Fremantle has, but for a moment, the best bar in WA.