'Underneath/Overlooked' Opening Night

An exhibition by Penny Bovell and Gabby Howlett, inspired by terrazzo and the Scolaro family

Join us for the ‘Underneath/Overlooked’ opening event! Enjoy an Italian feast while you explore the exhibition and discover an important chapter in WA's design heritage through an enlightening Artist Talk and Gallery Tour.

Image credit: Image credit: Penny Bovell and Gabby Howlett, Bonded and Resilient, 2021. Photography by Bo Wong

Postwar Italian immigrants Giuseppe and Anna Scolaro established the Universal
Tile Factory in Walyalup (Fremantle) in 1952, which ran for over 20 years.

Giuseppe, a self-taught artisan, crafted decorative terrazzo tiles using vibrant
pigments and Italian marble, creating intricate patterns that have become even
more beautiful over time.

Underneath/Overlooked began as a search for homes and buildings that still
feature these unique floors and grew into an exhibition featuring colourful silk
reproductions of the Scolaro tile patterns, a pattern-making game, and photos
by people who live in these spaces today.

Underneath/Overlooked honours Giuseppe and Anna’s artistic contributions and
celebrates their role, like many immigrant families, in shaping the design history
of Western Australia. It explores the art of terrazzo and the concept of creating a
home.

First shown at Fremantle’s 10 Nights in Port Festival, this interactive
experience invites viewers to take a closer look at their surroundings and
consider the hidden stories within.

This project is made possible through the Regional Exhibition Touring Boost with funding managed by Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries and from the
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and delivered by ART ON THE MOVE.