In Honour Of The Humble Terrazzo Tile: The Underneath/Overlooked Exhibition

The 10 Nights In Port Walyalup/Fremantle Festival is in full swing, made more exciting by our lovely wintry weather.

Freo is rarely better than at night in July when light rain sparkle the dark streets.

But there’s also fun to be had during the daylight hours too, like at this MUST SEE exhibition at Moore & Moore in Henry Street in honour of the humble terrazzo tile.

With the title, Underneath/Overlooked – Bonded and Resilient the exhibition and associated workshops run from Friday 16 through Sunday 25 July 2021.

Artist Penny Bovell and project manager Gabrielle Howlett have teamed up to produce an art installation and community exhibition that focusses on a liIle known Freo heritage story.

Postwar Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Anna Scolaro from Capo d’Orlando founded the Universal Tile Factory once located in Blinco Street, Fremantle (c1950-1973). Giuseppe, a skilful and talented artisan, produced a range of decorative terrazzo tiles that combine vibrant mixes of pigment and Italian marble, complex patterns and patinas that become more lustrous with age. More than the odd Freo home was decorated with them. And some folk still have the heritage tiles in situ to prove it!

Jean Hudson, our regular Places I Love columnist was at the exhibition to both enjoy and record it.

Here’s her fab photographic essay on what was happening both outside and inside the Moore & Moore Building.