ART REVIEW: Jesse Lee, Looking Out the Window Towards the Sea

Jesse Lee’s Looking Out the Window Towards the Sea exhibition and book launch was such a refreshingly fun night. It’s so heartwarming to see a local and incredibly talented artist get this well-deserved audience. The exhibition featured a collection of images taken when travelling in India. The photographs were vibrant and warm, capturing a beautiful color palette across the exhibition and book - the vibrant blue of the sky in one image was the exact shade in another subject’s glasses, or the deep orange of a garment paired perfectly with the color of the sun, reflecting on a rooftop in another. This work was made to be consumed in a group, because looking at a solitary picture does not compare to standing in a room of these prints, each one like a window into this place. These images were formed from true connection, vulnerability and authenticity. You can see the subject’s comfortability and connection to the camera (or the person behind it) in every image. This work reflects the intent the artist had, and you can sense the humanity and appreciation of connection between people in every single photograph. In the posture and looseness of all these subjects, you almost feel a part of the conversation before the image was captured, and you can see their joy and vulnerability in every image. I think this is a beautiful example of the effect created when street photography meets consent and connection. It captures something that cannot be attained in the aggressive, ‘Ask for forgiveness, not permission’ style of photography such as Mark Cohen. It’s much less aggressive, softer and more humanistic.  

The Fremantle Piazza stood out to me from this exhibition, in the past year the center has had a beautiful re-design; filled with creative spaces, workshops, exhibitions, small businesses, handmade goods and shops opening late. It has become a beautiful area beaming with positivity, art and community. The feeling of being in a space full of local artists and business owners who are all contributing something was exciting and optimistic.

After the exhibition we looked at a new store called (not)random magazines, who sell a collection of curated publications, as well as CRAM studio, currently selling handmade clothes. The Piazza has birthed a beautiful community of artists with some incredible ideas and creations; I will definitely return for future exhibitions and shopping trips as well as keeping my eye out for what comes next in this space.

An Ambulance Permanently Parked At The Bottom Of The Same Cliff

“We have lost 38 women to violence this year and 27 of them were killed by domestic violence perpetrators, including eight mothers murdered by their sons.” Sherele Moody, the RED HEART movement founder.

After questioning from the media relating to a 16-year-old known to police who murdered his mother in her home, police commissioner Col Blanch said

‘We don’t have a crystal ball”

Reports from the community say the mother had contacted multiple support services who gave up on them.

This statement coming from the commissioner of the same police that left a woman’s body in her family’s backyard for seven hours after paramedics pronounced her death. The same police that found eight officers did not perform their duty in 2025, resulting in the murder of a mother and daughter in Floreat, and reforms for the immediate removal of a person’s firearms when a report of domestic or family violence has been made against them.

There is without a doubt an influx of violence towards women currently facing this country, and the lack of care, action and education from our members of parliament saddens me.

“WA Labor hasn’t invested enough into crisis services that are stretched far too thin, and funding response services without primary prevention is like having an ambulance permanently parked at the bottom of the same cliff.” Hon Dr Brad Pettitt MLC, Leader of the Greens WA in the Legislative Council

What are the labor party of WA (who currently make up majority in the legislative assembly) doing about another woman killed at the hands of a man in her home… well on their Instagram (@laborwa) they posted a few memes about a one nation economy featuring clown images…

Where is the intervention education? Where are the funding and support for people escaping violence? Where is the accountability from the police or child protection authorities?

Our government needs to knock on some doors and listen to the people in our community, and do more than telling media, “Our hearts go out to everyone that’s been touched by this horrible incident.” The word I think our Premier of WA, Roger Cook, is missing is ‘preventable’.