Richard BELL
QAGOMA > What's On > Exhibitions > Past Exhibitions > The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT8) > Artists > Richard BELL
Kamilaroi/Jiman/Kooma people
Born 1953, Charleville, Australia
Lives and works in Brisbane, Australia
Richard Bell creates satirical works that raise issues regarding stereotypical ideas of Aboriginal people, culture and art, and the forces that drive the production of Aboriginal art today. Bell was a political activist in the 1980s (and continues to be active in this regard) before becoming known for his appropriation paintings, videos and installations. Larry 2015 was filmed in Venice, Italy, the site of one of the biggest and oldest Biennales in the world. It sees Bell adopting the persona of a wealthy gallerist and businessman to engage viewers with uncomfortable realities. Larry highlights the ways in which Aboriginal art has become a highly desirable and marketable commodity, while also functioning as satirical projection of the generalisations made about Indigenous peoples in Australia. Bell's work is deliberately provocative and bold, aiming to create discussion and reflection as an ongoing process of activism.
Richard Bell has also worked with the QAGOMA Children's Art Centre to develop a project for APT8 Kids.
GOMA LEVEL 2
Gallery 2.1
Richard Bell puts the spotlight on children and provides an opportunity for them to express their own opinions in a new video work that looks at the cult of celebrity and fame in Kids APT8.
