Fremantle's Forgotten Hotel Brings New Life to a Derelict Gem
The historic P&O hotel in Fremantle has stood vacant for decades, its grandeur and beauty slowly being consumed by the passing of time. However, when property owners Nic Trimboli and Adrian Fini offered the building as part of the Fremantle Biennale, local artists were given the chance to breathe new life into a space that had been ignored.
Over the past three weeks, more than 40 musicians, poets, painters, and multimedia artists have occupied the upper floor of the hotel, creating an immersive art experience that responds to the building's complex history. From animated faces drawn from the hotel's past to a playable climate dystopia, each artist has used the space as a canvas to explore themes of identity, community, and the human condition.
One such work is by Whadjuk Balladong and Wilman Noongar artist Zali Morgan, who lined a small room with recycled brown paper awash in watercolours. Her starting point was the building's location: just a few minutes' walk from the Round House, a former colonial prison where many Aboriginal men were held before being sent to a labour camp on Rottnest Island.
The hotel's location is also a central theme for Guy Louden's "Wet End", a jetski game set in a future Fremantle swallowed by rising seas. The game reflects the artist's concern about complicity and the split vision of knowing catastrophe is coming while still pursuing growth.
Meanwhile, architect Nic Brunsdon has stripped one of the rooms back to imagine what stood here long before the hotel – the trees, soil, and coastal ecology that once shaped this part of Fremantle. Working with a natural-dye researcher, a scent artist, a sculptor, and a furniture maker, he has created a quiet, sensory refuge.
The artists' works are more than just individual creations; they form a collective dialogue about the city's past and its future. It is a testament to the power of empty spaces to create gaps in continuity – and it highlights the simple yet profound act of saying yes to an artist who wants to bring creativity and life into a neglected space.
As Room Service comes to a close, the P&O hotel has been given new purpose, its grandeur now shining through in a way that was previously unseen. As Danielle Caruana AKA Mama Kin says, "Empty spaces are a vacuum. They create these kind of gaps in continuity. They create gaps in an experience of connectivity."
The historic P&O hotel in Fremantle has stood vacant for decades, its grandeur and beauty slowly being consumed by the passing of time. However, when property owners Nic Trimboli and Adrian Fini offered the building as part of the Fremantle Biennale, local artists were given the chance to breathe new life into a space that had been ignored.
Over the past three weeks, more than 40 musicians, poets, painters, and multimedia artists have occupied the upper floor of the hotel, creating an immersive art experience that responds to the building's complex history. From animated faces drawn from the hotel's past to a playable climate dystopia, each artist has used the space as a canvas to explore themes of identity, community, and the human condition.
One such work is by Whadjuk Balladong and Wilman Noongar artist Zali Morgan, who lined a small room with recycled brown paper awash in watercolours. Her starting point was the building's location: just a few minutes' walk from the Round House, a former colonial prison where many Aboriginal men were held before being sent to a labour camp on Rottnest Island.
The hotel's location is also a central theme for Guy Louden's "Wet End", a jetski game set in a future Fremantle swallowed by rising seas. The game reflects the artist's concern about complicity and the split vision of knowing catastrophe is coming while still pursuing growth.
Meanwhile, architect Nic Brunsdon has stripped one of the rooms back to imagine what stood here long before the hotel – the trees, soil, and coastal ecology that once shaped this part of Fremantle. Working with a natural-dye researcher, a scent artist, a sculptor, and a furniture maker, he has created a quiet, sensory refuge.
The artists' works are more than just individual creations; they form a collective dialogue about the city's past and its future. It is a testament to the power of empty spaces to create gaps in continuity – and it highlights the simple yet profound act of saying yes to an artist who wants to bring creativity and life into a neglected space.
As Room Service comes to a close, the P&O hotel has been given new purpose, its grandeur now shining through in a way that was previously unseen. As Danielle Caruana AKA Mama Kin says, "Empty spaces are a vacuum. They create these kind of gaps in continuity. They create gaps in an experience of connectivity."
so like I was thinking about this hotel and how it's been empty for ages and now it's all this art everywhere 
is that good or bad that some buildings get left to decay but then get transformed into something new & exciting? 
the fact that local artists got to be a part of it makes me happy, like people are being creative with what could've been trash 
i mean the hotel's history is so cool too, I wish I knew more about it 
zali morgan is so talented! i was just thinking about how much i love Fremantle, it's like such a hidden gem on the west coast... anyway, what's your fave art piece in there? 
just imagine all those old rooms filled with music, art, and creativity it's amazing what happens when you give people the chance to breathe new life into a space that's been forgotten. and its so cool that they're highlighting the city's history and future at the same time - like who knew the P&O hotel had such depth 
. It's amazing how empty spaces like this hotel can be transformed into something new and vibrant, creating gaps in continuity and connectivity 
but seriously, i love how they're using the space to explore themes of identity and community - like, Fremantle's got some heavy history when it comes to indigenous folks and colonization. it's dope that they're giving voice to those stories through art. plus, a climate dystopia game? 
sounds like just what we need more of in this world
I just read about the Fremantle hotel and it's literally giving me chills 
. But now, with all those artists bringin' their A-game, it's actually gettin' some serious love 
. I mean, who knew Fremantle had such a rich history? 
The way they're reimaginin' the space as an immersive art experience is pure genius 
. And I love how the artists are addressin' these big themes like identity and community – it's all about creatin' that dialogue and bringin' people together 
. The fact that Nic Brunsdon was able to strip the room back to its roots is some next-level design skills 
. Room Service is servin' up some serious creativity, and I'm here for it! 
and can we talk about the room by Nic Brunsdon that just transported me back in time? 