Audiences will be invited to immerse their senses in creative wildlife experiences throughout the iconic streets and heritage spaces of Fremantle/Walyalup
From the heart of Fremantle - Walyalup Koort - to the Norfolk Island pines of Esplanade Reserve, the City of Fremantle presents Wild Freo, an Easter weekend of family fun where native animals take over the urban environment.
Heritage spaces, parklands and streets will be transformed into animal sanctuaries through diverse artforms including theatre, puppetry, dance, design, illustration, animation, sound, and sculpture-art and animal lovers can play and explore their way through a weekend of free and ticketed events.
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said she was thrilled to have Fremantle's street arts festival back in the city for the Easter weekend after two years of COVID-19 cancellations.
"We're delighted to have street arts back this year presenting Wild Freo, a new and different experience, designed to be COVID safe," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
"There's always plenty to see and do in Fremantle and Wild Freo promises to be a fun and engaging experience for everyone."
City of Fremantle Festivals Coordinator Sarah Wilkinson said Wild Freo will feature works designed to reflect on how humans are threatening our native animal habitats and to inspire hope and positive change.
"Wild Freo is a conscious commitment to produce festival works created by local artists that enliven and engage us to reflect on our role in building a better future," Ms Wilkinson said.
"Our artists reflect on how different our urban spaces were during lockdowns, when animals reclaimed spaces that human activity had pushed them out of.
"Maybe the disruption shouldn't mean we go back to the way it was before - this is a time to reflect on how humans impact the natural environment and animal habitats and create change through art."
This Fremantle Festivals experience is a creative community collaboration between Western Australian artists and organisations, local schools and youth, and internationally renowned theatrical production company Erth Visual and Physical Inc.
Innovators in the realm of visual and physical theatre Erth present Boodjar, meaning ground in Nyoongar language. Be led into the living underworld for an encounter with the seldom seen. This multi-sensory, puppetry-based experience is filled with creations inspired by work with leading international conservation zoos.
Deeper Shade of Blue created by Wardandi Noongar (Aboriginal) and Ait Koedhal (Torres Strait Islander) multidisciplinary artist Tyrown Waigana and Field Design will wow as a life-size blue whale pod migrates in layers on the Esplanade Reserve, which was reclaimed from the sea in 1902.
"The deeper you look, the more you'll find," said Tyrown Waigana. "This experience is meant to create curiosity and reveal surprises."
Walk through the Whaler's Tunnel and be instantly captured by Observing Stone, the LED illumination of hundreds of bird and reptile eyes from pythons and parrots and to bobtails and blue wrens, against a stunning soundscape from Envelope Audio.
"This is an opportunity for people to imagine, 'what mammals and birds could be here? what passes by?'" said legendary Fremantle Artist Sandy McKendrick, on the consideration behind her work.
A Particular Garden After is a work of beautiful screen prints of plants, flowers, and birds projected onto soft flowing fabrics draped from the high ceilings of the Old Customs House. Explore happy habitats and the feelings that can change as animals appear, disappear and reappear in rich, stop-motion animation.
"My work is a celebration of native flora and fauna," said Angela Ferolla, Fremantle artist and tutor to young artists. "I hope my art will remind people of nature's beauty - to pause and look in detail and be reminded of our role to look after it."
Featured WA artists will include Angela Ferolla, Bryan Woltjen, Daley Rangi, Ella Hetherington, Jenessa King, Joe Leach, Karla Hart Productions, Rachel Riggs, Rebecca Riggs-Bennett, Sandy McKendrick, Sharyn Egan, Teori Shannon, Tyrown Waigana and leading local organisations and institutions including CircusWA, Envelope Audio, Field Design, John Curtin College of the Arts, WA Wildlife and Birdlife Australia.
ACCESS THE FULL EVENTS PROGRAM: streetartsfestival.com.au
BOOKINGS AND TICKETS:
Wild Freo runs Saturday, 16 April - Monday 18 April 2022. Tickets available soon. BOOKINGS AND FESTIVAL INFO: streetartsfestival.com.au.
