Love Freo

Love Freo is pleased about being a winner in Corbis’ Creatives Behind the Lens competition, which originated in Europe three years ago and has been held in Australia for the first time. The winning photograph (‘South Beach’) was taken at a hazy early morning down at South Beach last autumn. While the Melbourne Man went for a swim a rainbow appeared in the haze and I was just so glad I had brought my camera. Together with the very few other early morning dog walkers I marveled at this beautiful performance of nature.

The 47 national winners were invited to Sydney, where our work was unveiled at a private view at the Museum of Contemporary Arts last week, followed by a party at one of the best locations in Australia – MCA’s rooftop balcony right at Circular Quay with stunning views over the harbour, Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

Corbis is planning to bring the exhibition to Perth early next year and is looking for interesting locations. I suggested Creatures Loft and Fremantle Arts Centre, but if you have other ideas, please let me know and I’ll forward them.

View all winners here or read an article about the event here.
For prints of the winning photo, please contact us.

Not a catchy name, but these little blighters are a pain in the a**e when trying to swim lengths along South Beach. Seems they swarm about in the shallow waters, which might explain why I see people swimming much further out. And it’s not like there’s anything to worry about out there. So I’m sitting here resisting the temptation to scratch, and unable to frown or smile because my face has been involuntarily botoxed.

Surf Lifesaving have dedicated a whole fact sheet to them: at least the sting is only minor.

Stinger Missile

This morning I went down to South Beach Village, to check out the new developments. Gosh, South Fremantle is going to be a busy place with all those new apartments. I just hope it’ll keep its quirky beachy charme, like this display of floatsam and jetsam on a house at the southern end of South Terrace.

I’m fascinated with old photographs and the stories they tell. Most interesting, I think, are the people in the background who didn’t pose for the photographer and just kept doing what they were doing. Or the little details you find, when you study the photograph.

Here are some images from South Beach in the 1920s taken by Izzy Orloff. Back in the days South Beach was the happening leisure location with a diving tower, jetty, huge bathing shed and an annual fun fair with swings and merry-go-rounds.

'Miss Jones' at South Beach

The old bathing shed

Lifesaving practice

There are plenty of old photographs of Freo and Old Fremantle by John Dowson has become one of my favourite books. I also love Izzy Orloff by Louise Hoffman and Chris Jeffery, which is full of visual stories from Freo and Perth in the 1920s.

Swimmers at Port Beach

Just got back from my morning walk at Port Beach. It was gorgeous down there, but still pretty chilly, why I was really impressed by the swimmers, who didn’t seem to feel the cold. Tough cookies!

It seems as if we still have to wait a while for milder weather – this evening temperatures at South Beach felt more like winter and I doubt much will have changed by tomorrow.

This has been on the footpath near the showers on South Beach for a few months now. I’ve been meaning to take a picture of it before it wears away.
A great tribute. Condolences and a hundred cool points to the owner.

Zigh RIP

Zigh in Detail

For those of you who wish to give stencilling a go here’s a step-by-step guide by a master.

A Guide to Cutting Stencils by Banksy

• First off, stencil anything. If you wait for the perfect idea you will be waiting for ever. Cleverness is never as entertaining as blatant stupidity, failure and public humiliation
• Obtain a fucking sharp knife. Blunt knives result in fluffy pictures and make the whole process long and boring. Snap off blades of British steel are best.
• Draw your artwork on paper, glue onto some card then cut straight through the both. Acetate is apparently quite good but any sort of free cardboard is okay. Stiff 1mm to 1.5mm board is ideal.
• Get a small roll of gaffa tape, pre-tear small strips and stick them on your shirt inside your coat.
• Find a suitable piece of card to act as a folder. For instance when using red paint cut the stencil into the bottom of a pizza box so when you get paint all over your fingers its not so suspicious.
• Leave the house before you find something worth staying in for.
• Spray the paint sparingly onto the stencil from a distance of 8 inches.
• If you’re in a place with lots of security cameras wear a hood, move around the city quickly and act like a sad old drunk if you attract attention.
• Be aware that going on a major mission totally drunk out of your head will result in some truly spectacular artwork and at least one night in the cells.
• When explaining yourself to the Police its worth being as reasonable as possible. Graffiti writers are not real villains. I am always reminded of this by real villains who consider the idea of breaking in someplace, not stealing anything and then leaving behind a painting of your name in four foot high letters the most retarded thing they ever heard of.
• Remember crime against property is not real crime. People look at an oil painting and admire the use of brushstrokes to convey meaning. People look at a graffiti painting and admire the use of a drainpipe to gain access.
• The time of getting fame for your name on its own is over. Artwork that is only about wanting to be famous will never make you famous. Any fame is a bi-product of making something that means something. You don’t go to a restaurant and order a meal because you want to have a shit.

The summer may be over, but there’s nothing as pristine as an early autumn morning at South Beach. I just couldn’t get over how clear the water was – just beautiful.