In looking at the works of John Bell, the first response that comes to mind is, “Wow. This guy’s got something to say.” His works are witty, edgy, perceptive, and captivating and offer an irreverent and honest appraisal of society. His paintings continue the tradition of abstract art and merge it with popular culture and even science, particularly Einstein’s views about the universe. Bell refers to his style as “Anthropological Expressionism,” a movement he started in 2003.
JOHN BELL. monolith #5, acrylic, 2006.
“I was playing off of the study of human societies and cultures and adding an ism. Playing with ideas and words similar to my working process, which combines elements from various styles of art, mixing in many different techniques and philosophies while commenting on current culture, which by some definitions is postmodernism. Maybe ‘postmodern mash-up artist’ would have been better. There are so many diverging opinions on the definition of postmodernism, I was just trying to put a finer point on what I’m doing, searching for my own definition.”
Bell’s continuation of the abstract dialogue seems evident, with nods to Pollock and others. In addressing how his works modernize the abstract tradition for the 2000s, he claims, “My process is a product of the times, so they modernize one another. You change the tribe, and the tribe changes you. We have mash ups with music, hybrid cars, hybrid fruits and vegetables, gene splicing, pocket super computer/phone/cameras, laundry mat/restaurant/pubs etc. The best of what I do holds a mirror up to our culture, so to me it made perfect sense to adopt this ethos with my art.”
Modern art has always been difficult for many to appreciate. When asked for the rationale behind such distrust of modern art, Bell responds, “A lack of understanding and imagination, and the universe always punishes us for a lack of either one of those.” Yet, does such thinking affect his role as an artist? ”I don’t really worry or think about those types of people at all, at least as it pertains to my working methods. As my experiences in the art world have expanded, I’ve come to realize that the audience (although growing) is relatively small for contemporary art, compared to say music or movies or literature with their possibilities for universal appeal and sales, and I’m fine with that. The challenge is all that much more interesting because of it. It never has or never will affect my working methods because in the studio I’ve always created art for an audience of one. Pandering to an audience while creating work on any level is a very unhealthy practice; pandering to one with no interest in what you’re doing is utterly pointless.”
JOHN BELL. identity, memory, and loss #6, acrylic on canvas, 38"x67"
Despite prevalent misunderstanding of contemporary art, Bell joined with other like-minded artists to help raise awareness and appreciation. He participated in the first Foster Art Program seminar in 2009 and has been an been a participant on numerous occasions since then. ”Like the acid tests in the 60s, I thought it would be interesting to see what happens when you offer people the opportunity to expand their minds.”
The Salt Lake-based program offers everyone the chance to experience a modern work. But how does the modern art scene in Salt Lake City compare to other urban art scenes? After all, galleries in Las Vegas, Miami, and New York exhibit and sell Bell’s works. ”There are certainly more galleries and museums in those cities, especially New York and Miami, so they have the advantages that brings, which is the opportunity for your work to be seen more often and by a larger audience… and of course potential for sales. Plus the possibilities for exposure to key people (collectors, curators etc…) and breaking into the national and international markets increase exponentially in those cities. In comparison I feel Salt Lake has a way to go, but it’s getting there. Adam Price and Micol Hebron at UMOCA are doing a fantastic job, as well as Jill Dawsey with the SALT shows she curated at UMFA. Jeff Lambson at the BYU Museum of Art is an out of the box thinker who’s curated some amazing shows. NOX Contemporary and House Gallery are doing some great shows, as well as Adam Bateman with CUAC. They are raising the bar. Now we need more people to back their play. I have found an audience for my work in Salt Lake over the past eight years. I had my best year for sales in 2011, and the new collectors of contemporary work are a major factor in this equation. Without them we are just entertaining ourselves, and that is an unsustainable situation. The raising of the bar by those mentioned above, this kind of thinking is changing the way people see, feel about, and ultimately collect contemporary art in Salt Lake City.”
Despite the smaller art scene that Salt Lake offers, Bell achieves local and national acclaim. One would assume in looking at his art that he became an overnight success. He was classically trained in art. Yet, he started with a regular job as a graphic designer. It makes one wonder if it’s possible for traditional drawing, painting, and sculpture to remain viable without the use of technology. ”The decision to go into graphic design (and photography) always made sense to me because they deal with so many of the same fundamentals; composition, light, negative space, narrative, the psychology of colors, etc. I believe various disciplines are not exclusive; they inform one another. The computer and the camera are both integral parts of my creative process. When making a painting in the same way that a paintbrush or a mallet is, they’re just tools in my arsenal. Technology, in my opinion, does not threaten the viability of painting, drawing, or sculpture; it enhances them. Ultimately it’s about what an artist has to say, creating something engaging or beautiful or both. How they did it seem less important to me.”
JOHN BELL. Public Domain #2, acrylic on canvas, 2010. 52"x52"
Lately, Bell has been involved with several live painting performances. His most recent occurred on September 23 and 24 of last year and involved the creation of a massive action painting with another artist, Craig Cleveland. They created a work for dinner guests of By Invitation Only. But is the artist as satisfied with the finished product compared with works created in his studio?
“Live painting for me has been like working without a net. The odds of crashing to the ground increase exponentially because there are so many uncontrollable variables. There’s an audience watching, talking, and interacting with you, so it’s easy to lose focus. I’ve painted several times with another artist, sharing the same large canvas, and that has its challenges also. You think left; they think right. You think blue; they think red. You know what I mean? It’s this whole push and pull dynamic. It’s not so much a battle of wills as it is just learning how to dance. Let me lead for a little while; ok, now you lead for a bit. But truth be told, I have a tough time giving up the lead. So far I’m not satisfied with the final product. Painting has never been a democracy for me. I love the isolation and freedom of the studio and being in control of the final outcome. I have enjoyed the live pieces on some levels, as a performance, as a shared experience with a friend, and have learned from the experiences, but I think I would like to try it on my own and see what that brings.”
John Bell not only involves the public with his live painting performances, he also offers advice to young artists. He even guest lectured in Juliette Bradley’s Art History 2720 class at Salt Lake Community College. In relating his advice for artists trying to make a name for themselves in such a difficult market, he indicates that, “Number one, know thy self. If you’re painting pictures of Indian women with their babies swaddled in southwestern blankets, don’t complain about not being in the MOMA… go to Scottsdale to sell your wears, etc… Know your work and how to talk about it, OWN IT. Be a marketing machine: website, blog, network your ass off (online and in the real world), learn how to (or hire someone) to write a press releases, carpet bomb and get some press. Travel to other markets, art fairs, gallery openings, talk to people, get invited to the after parties, and make an impression. They are not looking for you. Get in front of them again and again until they call the cops or “discover” you. Don’t be a hater (nobody likes an asshole)… find something to admire in other artists’ work, learn from it. Do the work, lots and lots of work. That old saying about it taking ten years to become an overnight success… it’s true.”
For more information on John Bell’s works, refer to: http://www.artistjohnbell.com
