IT could be the best double exhibition Fremantle Arts Centre has put on in a long time.
The Print Award and the Tennis Ball Exchange are wildly imaginative and lots of fun.
Aside from the headline-grabbing winners of the Print Award, there is some darker more esoteric fare to be enjoyed.
My favourite was the intergalactic frieze by Brian Robinson – a crazy mix of sci-fi pop culture that has everything from Area 51 and Judge Dredd to Back to the Future and weird-looking robots.
• The Print Award and the Tennis Ball Exchange are two great exhibitions.
The top half of the work is all sci-fi and the bottom half is a strange underworld, reminiscent of the Morlocks from The Time Machine.
Rendered in stark black-and-white, it’s an homage to every junked-up B movie ever produced.
Another arresting piece was Eric Löbbecke’s Southerly Bluster, which has a swirling ghost-like figure emerging from a billowing mass of dark clouds.
It has great energy and movement, and is almost biblical in its light emerging from the darkness theme.
The most terrifying work in the Print Award is undoubtedly the catchily-titled Amid the dark my tears make my eyes burn by Tim McLaughlan.
A white chalky face peeks out from the darkness, like some spectre trapped in limbo between life and death.
It’s seriously spooky and reminds me of early David Lynch in his Eraserhead period.
It’s a fantastic piece that will give you the chills.
After all that darkness, you’ll be wanting some light relief, so walk down the corridor to the Tennis Ball Exchange, which is interactive art at its best.
The concept is simple – you bring down an old tennis ball, decorate it, and swap it with one of the new ones on the shelves.
The end result is a fascinating mosaic, with each ball representing something unique about their owner.
There was everything from balls with elaborate dog costumes and crocheted hats to political slogans and comedy catchphrases.
When my daughter and I visited on Sunday, kids were in the courtyard decorating their tennis balls and there was a lively buzz about the place.
Everyone waking about the exhibition had a smile on their face.
It made a change from people shuffling respectfully around a gallery, scared to cough or spoil the church-like atmosphere.
The creator of the Tennis Ball Exchange, British artist David Shrigley, said it was about the act of exchange, and the exhibition does foster a sense of community and togetherness.
It was a great experience, especially for children.
Another highlight was the ‘play room’ down the hallway, where you could stamp various letters and symbols on the wall. Lots of fun.
The Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award is on until September 21 and the Tennis Ball Exchange is on until September 7. For more info see wfac.org.au.
by STEPHEN POLLOCK