JOHN BELL PHOTOGRAPHED IN HIS STUDIO
John Bell's multi-disciplinary practice explores the intersections of social media, digital imagery, performance & natural processes, examining social, political and cultural perceptions.
It involves the appropriation and deconstruction of images and information popular culture produces, re-arranging it in various mediums to create opportunities for new meaning and critical examination of cultural values. Highlighting the ironies of a shrinking public domain in a culture where nearly every moment is openly and publicly shared… from the relevant to the inane. His work is an attempt to locate the authentic by simultaneously celebrating and critiquing a culture obsessed with status, self styled celebrity and consumerism.
Bell has exhibited in over 60 group and solo exhibitions in the past 12 years, including the Aqua Art Miami & Art Context Miami fairs at Art Basel Miami the past 9 years, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, the Torrance Art Museum in LA, New York’s Time Warner Center, the Kimball Art Center, BYU Museum of Art, Southern Nevada Museum of Art as well as gallery shows in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. His work has been placed in private collections throughout the U.S. and Europe.
In December of 2016 Bell was honored with the Visionary Award from the Central Utah Art Center (CUAC) for his contributions as an artist and to the growth and fostering of the contemporary art scene in Salt Lake City both locally and abroad. Press accolades include a profile in the national art magazine Blue Canvas (Los Angeles), a cover editorial in Seven Magazine, (Las Vegas) “Beyond Pop, The man and message behind the paint”. His work and mid-century modern home has been highlighted in the Los Angeles-based lifestyle and culture-centric 944 Magazine and Utah Style & Design. Hailed as “artist on the rise” by Salt Lake Magazine, Bell has received numerous acknowledgments and reviews in NY Art World, City Weekly, Salt Lake City Weekly, Seven, and Juxtapoz magazines and a host of online publications. He is represented by Cancio Contemporary, Miami/New York & Brett Wesley Contemporary, Las Vegas.
Exhibitions
Museums & Fairs
December 2017, Aqua Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Cancio Contemporary, Miami, FL
November 2017, Statewide Annual
Utah Division of Arts & Museums, SLC UT
June 2017 - Side Show, Group Show, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, SLC UT
April 2017 – 93rd Annual Spring Salon, Springville Museum of Art, Springville, UT
January 2017 - COLLECT, Group Show, Utah Division of Arts & Museums, SLC UT
December 2016 - B Gallery pop-up show, Art Basel Miami, FL
January 2017, COLLECT, Group Show, Utah
Division of Arts & Museums, SLC UT
December 2016, B Gallery pop-up show, Art Basel Miami, FL
December 2015, Aqua Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Cancio Contemporary, Miami, FL
August 2015, Live Painting Performance, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, SLC UT
June 2015, Vicious, Group Show, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, SLC UT
December 2014, Pop-up show, Art Basel Week, Cancio Contemporary, Miami FL
August 2014 - Relevant, Group Show, Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT
August 2014 - Mas Attack 6, Group Show, Torrence Art Museum, LA
June 2014 - Group Show, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, SLC UT
December 2013 - Aqua Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Cancio Contemporary, Miami, FL
August 2013 - Relevant, Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT
June 2013 – POP, Group Show, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City, UT
December 2012 – We could Be Heroes: The Mythology of Monsters and Heroes in
Contemporary Art, BYU Museum of Art, Provo, UT
December 2012 - Art Miami, Context, Art Basel Miami, Cancio Contemporary, Miami, FL
September 2012 –The Next Supper, Blurring the lines between, viewer, art and experience. Performance art & installation, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City, UT
June 2012 – Play Me I’m Yours, international city-wide public art installation, Utah Museum ofContemporary Art, Salt Lake City, UT
Nov. 2011 – Pop-up show, Art Basel Week, Cancio Contemporary, Miami FL
June 2011 – Lawn Gnomes Eat Your Heart Out, public art project, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, 337 Project, Salt Lake City, UT
December 2010 – Aqua Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Cancio Contemporary, Miami, FL.
June 2010 - Contemporary Masters, 337 Project & Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City, UT
December 09 - Aqua Art Fair, Art Basel Miami, Cancio Contemporary, Miami, FL
June 09 - The Urban Face Off, 337 Project, mural commission/competition, Salt Lake City, UT
May 09 - Spring Art Affair, regional juried exhibition, Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art, Las Vegas, NV (curated by Elizabeth Herridge, Director, Guggenheim Hermitage Museum)
December 08 - The Artist Fair, Art Basel Week, Miami, FL
April 06 - Mural Commission, Time Warner Center, New York City, NY
Select Solo Exhibitions
May 2016 – For What It’s Worth… Brett Wesley Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
June 2013 – Election, Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT
March 2012 – Post Modern Blues, Nox Contemporary, Salt Lake City, UT
July 2011 – Perform Chinatown, dinner party performance piece, Jancar Gallery,
Los Angeles, CA
June 2010 – The Burden of Ambition, Brett Wesley Contemporary, Las Vegas, NV
July 09 – The Elegant Universe, Brett Wesley Contemporary, Las Vegas, NV
January 09 – Size Matters, Pop Shops, Salt Lake City, UT
June 08 – Survey, DDR Projects, Long Beach, CA
January 08 – The Sound & The Fury, Utah Arts Alliance, Salt Lake City, UT
March 07 – BUILDING ICONS, Patrick Moore Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT
September 05 – (re) Defining Space, Time Warner Center, New York City, NY
April 05 – Defining Space, ONE Modern Art, Salt Lake City, UT
May 04 – Drinking, Dancing & Smoking with the Muse, Chroma Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT
Select Group Exhibitions
July 2015 - Massively Small, J Go Gallery, Park City UT
January 2014 - Running Free Like Never Before, The Projects Contemporary Art Space,
Fort Laudedale FL
December 2013 - The Male Mind, Brett Wesley Contemorary, Las Vegas, NV
March 2013 – Cinematic, Central Utah Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT
March 2012 – The Plastic Propaganda Poster Project, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, UT
February 2012 – Utah Ties, Central Utah Art Center, juried exhibition, Ephraim, UT
August 2010 – Arin Contemporary, Laguna Beach, CA
April 2010 – Modern Values, Mondo Fine Art, at Lightspot Modern, Salt Lake City, UT
December 09 - Not Just Another Pretty Face, UMOCA, Salt Lake City, UT
December 09 - Small Works, juried show, Jill Dawsey, chief curator, Utah Museum of Fine Art, Kayo Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT
November 09 – Snap To Grid, Los Angeles Center For Digital Art, Los Angeles, CA
June 09 – Not Just Another Pretty Face, gala & exhibition, UMOCA, Salt Lake City, UT
February 09 – Digital Art, Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT
January 09 – Love and Power, Brett Wesley Contemporary, Las Vegas, NV
October 08 – 5x5, Salt Lake Magazine’s, 5 On the Rise, Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT
December 07 – Phillips Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT
August 04 – Mixed media, works on paper; juried selection, Utah Arts Council, Kimball Art Center, Park City, UT
Collections Public
December 2014 – Utah Division of Arts & Museums, Permanent Collection
June 2010 – Salt Lake County Collection, Permanent Collection
Collections Private
Work throughout the United States & Europe.
Board of Trustees, Guest Lectures, Workshops
January 2015 to present – Utah Museum of Contemporary Art
January 2015 to present – Central Utah Art Center
September 2013 – Relevant Program, Kimball Art Center, Park City
March 2010 – Utah Museum of Fine Art, Foster Art Program, presentation & discussion on work inspiration, and creation of original work
April 2010 – Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, UT, presentation, discussion Q&A, on working process, work inspiration and creation of original work.
Bibliography
2014:
Park Record, Relevant show Kimball Art Center, photo & article, print & online.
2013:
Las Vegas Weekly, photo & article covering the “the minds of men” show at Brett Wesley Gallery.
Election, solo show at Kimball Art Center, Best Exhibition, Salt Lake City Weekly Art Awards, photo & article, print & online.
Blog profile, Foster Art Program, John Bell; Artist or Hero? Interview, photos.
2012:
Photos, exhibition profile, NowInSLC, Art Notes, pg. 17, and online, March 15th.
Gavin, Sheehan, photos, artist interview, City Weekly, Gavin’s Underground blog, March 18th.
Photo, exhibition mention, Catalyst Magazine Art Happenings, online, March 20th.
Staker, Brian, photo, exhibition review postmodern blues, Kind of Blue, City Weekly A&E, pg. 23, March 22nd and online, March 19th.
Cummings-Andersen, Anne, artist profile, 15 Bytes of Utah, photos, online pages 1&3.
Blog profile, Foster Art Program, John Bell; Utah’s Urban Master, photos, January 7th.
2011:
John Bell: Dinner Happening, China Town, Artists of Utah, Photos & Article.
Perform Chinatown – John Bell’s dinner performance, photos, LA Weekly July 29th.
Blake, Daisy, photos, editorial, interview, How to Buy Art, In Utah This Week, pgs. 28 & 30, August 11th.
Photos, editorial, John Bell’s modern masterpiece; revolv magazine, Salt Lake, pgs.6 -11 January 2nd.
2010:
Artist profile, photos, editorial, Blue Canvas Magazine, Los Angeles, pgs. 76-77 October 19th.
Sheckells, Melinda, photos, editorial, The House in the Canyon: Artist John Bell creates a canvas for his life and home, 944 Magazine, Los Angeles, pgs.16 & 17,October 2010.
Keene, Jarret, cover article, photos, interview, Beyond Pop, The man and the message behind the paint, A&E, Seven Weekly Magazine, Las Vegas, pgs.77-78, July 22nd.
Staker, Brian, photo, editorial, Miniature Arting, Contemporary Maters Makes Modern art playful, City Weekly, Visual Arts, pg.18, July 22nd.
Fulton Ben, photo, editorial, Golfing Beyond the Game, Contemporary Masters, Salt Lake Art Center, Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, pg. B1 July 13th & Lifestyle, Salt Lake Trib online, July 12th.
Kiraly, Andrew, photo, exhibition mention, The Burden of Ambition, Brett Wesley Gallery, Desert Companion, A & E. pg. 62.
Kenway, Jenessa, photo, editorial, John Bell, The Burden of Ambition, Las Vegas City Life online, July 5th.
Alvarez, Brian Paco, exhibition mention, July First Friday is Sizzling Hot, The Burden of Ambition, Brett Wesley Contemporary, Las Vegas Arts & Culture online, July 2nd.
Vice, Jeff, photo, editorial, Salt Lake Art Center doubles as miniature golf course, Deseret News online, June 24th.
Fulton, Ben, photo, editorial, Swing Into Art, Contemporary Masters, Salt Lake Art Center, Salt Lake Tribune, Visual Art Notes, pg. D8, June 20. Lifestyle, Salt Lake Trib online, June 21st.
Staker, Brian, video interview, Putt putt for par, Contemporary Masters at the Salt Lake Art Center, The Stake Out, City Weekly online, June 19th.
Renshaw, Scott, photo, editorial, Contemporary Masters at the Salt Lake Art Center, The Essentials, City Weekly pg. 24, June, 17th.
Stringer, Jacob, photo, editorial, Contemporary Masters at the Salt Lake Art Center, City Weekly.net., June 17th.
Nevada Public Radio, KNPR’s State of Nevada, interview, First Friday Artist John Bell, The Burden of Ambition, airdate June 4th.
KLAV Radio, The Talk of Las Vegas, interview, The Burden of Ambition, Brett Wesley Contemporary; Grogan’s Tavern, a Cultural Watering Hole, airdate June 3rd.
Christensen, Miaken, Mondo Fine Art, video profile, John Bell, mondofineart.com, YouTube, April 9th.
Spy Hop’s Alumni Media Studio, video feature, John Bell, Face Off at the Urban Gallery, vimeo.com, February 23rd.
2009:
Photo, editorial, Art Basel, Aqua Art Miami & Gen Art Vanguard, Bell’s “Bail Out” The Lead, Miami, December 2nd, pg.20.
Staker, Brian, photos, editorial, 337 Project Face Off at the Urban Gallery, City Weekly, June 11th.
Nailen, Dan, video blog, 337 Project, Urban Face Off at Neighborhood House, June 12th, Salt Lake Magazine online.
Trotter, Emma, photo, feature article, Brett Wesley Gallery Home is Where the Art Is, Las Vegas Luxury, April.
Staker, Brian, exhibition photo, feature article, Visual Arts, The Bell Curve: Artist John Bell continues thinking “like a builder”, City Weekly, January 22nd, pg. 23.
Exhibition photo, “John Bell at The Grand Opening of The Pop Shops”, 337 Project.org, online, January 16th.
Hampton, William, editorial exhibition photos, Bell’s Size Matters “Impulsive art”: In Utah This Week, print and online, January 15th pgs. 22-23.
Nailen, Dan, video blog; interview with artist “Size Matters” at The Pop Shops, Salt Lake Magazine online, January 12th.
Fulton, Ben, Photo, exhibition mention, “Thinking Big in SLC,” Salt Lake Tribune, Visual Art Notes, January 11th pg. d2.
Widlansky, Tiffini, Gallery Spotlight, Pop Shops “Change is Good”, Bell’s “Size Matters”, Artists of Utah,15 bytes online, January 8th.
Staff Pick of the Day, photo & acknowledgement; Bell’s “Size Matters”, Pop Shops, Salt Lake Magazine online, January 6th.
2008:
Checkoway, Julie, photo, “John Bell at Phillips Gallery 5x5 show”, Salt Lake Tribune, Visual Art Notes, Oct 12th, pg. D8.
Hogan, Donia, Photo, “Phillips Gallery Presents Salt Lake City’s 5 artist’s on the rise,” Deseret News, Visual Arts, October 12th pg. E2.
Fields, Melissa, photo, editorial, “5 Artists on the rise”, Salt Lake Magazine, Sept/Oct. pg.6.
Photo’s, editorial, “John Bell: Artcotic and DDR Projects”, Juxtapoz art & culture online, June.
Cleveland, Craig, photos & interview, “John Bell the Artist”, Artcotic.com artist showcase, June.
John Bell’s “Survey” at DDR Project, ArtSlant online.
Photo, “Survey” The work of John Bell at DDR Projects, White Hot magazine online June.
Kolb, Leif, cover, photos, feature article & interview “Self Portrait”, Arkade Magazine, May, pgs. 44-51.
Exhibition photos, John Bell’s “The Sound & The Fury” at Utah Art Alliance & Midnight Records, In Utah This Week, January 4th, pg.7 & 8.
Lolita, Nikolova, PhD, interview photos & exhibition feature, “John Bell with his crowd”, Salt Lake Downtown, January 4th.
On camera interview & exhibition feature, “The Sound & The Fury, at Utah Arts Alliance, Fox 13 News, Good Day Utah, airdate January 2nd.
2007
Rigby, Kent, Photos, exhibition review, “Building Icons”, John Bell at Patrick Moore Gallery, Artist of Utah, 15 bytes online, March.
Spencer, Amy, Photos, cover & feature article, “Walk & Stroll, John Bell’s “Building Icons, In Utah This Week, pg. 31.
Griggs, Brandon, photo & mention, Bell’s “Icons” at Patrick Moore, The Salt Lake Tribune, March 18th, pg.D6.
Pappas, Kate, Photo, “Building Icons:” new work by John Bell, 24Seven, City Weekly, March 15th pg.27.
Rasmussen, Pax, photo, “Building Icons” at Patrick Moore, Catalyst Magazine, March 12th, pg.3.
2006
Rigby, Kent, photo, feature article, “Live from New York”, Artists of Utah, 15 bytes online.
Mee, Brad, Photo’s, cover & feature article, “Artist in Residence”, Utah Style & Design, fall issue, pgs.112-121.
2005
Burt, Brandon, photo & mention, “John Bell’s (re) Defining Space,” 24Seven listing, City Weekly, pg.28.
Rigby, Kent, Photos, exhibition review, “The Real Deal in NYC”, Artists of Utah, 15 Bytes online.
Robinson, W, exhibition mention, “Bell’s (re) defining space at Time Warner Center”, Artnet online, September 10th.
Exhibition mention, “Bell’s (re)defining space”, Blackbook Magazine, blacklist online, September 10th
MacInnis, Michael, exhibition review, John Bell: (re) defining space at Mandarin Oriental Penthouse/Time Warner Center, NY ArtWorld Magazine, September 17th.