Richard Bell: Uz vs. Them September 13-October 21, 2012

Australia’s most talked about contemporary artist and a figure of increasing international stature, Richard Bell describes himself as “more an activist than an artist.” Didactic yet humorous, Bell’s vivid and provocative paintings and videos signal an important and powerful voice in contemporary art. This is the first mid-career survey in the U.S. of the work of this important Aboriginal activist/artist.

Richard Bell uses a wide range of media including painting, performance, and video to challenge western conceptions of what encompasses “indigenous” or “folk” art.  He utilizes familiar styles often seen in Pop Art from artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns, as well as the paint drips of Jackson Pollock while including text that challenges the way the viewer thinks about racism and race politics.

The exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts and supported by the Queensland Government, Australia, through Trade and Investment Queensland’s Queensland Indigenous Arts Marketing and Export Agency (QIAMEA). Additional support has come from the Australian government through the Australia Council for the Arts and the Embassy of Australia, Washington, D.C. 

Link to the Myhren Gallery here for more information!