Richard Bell is Gangsta

Richard Bell b. 1953 | Me 2015

Synthetic polymer paint on linen. Image 150.0 x 150.0 x 3.0 cm. Collection of The University of Queensland, purchased 2016.

The impact on first encountering Me is the dominance of the size of the painting itself coupled with the psychological effect of recognition of the artist as portrait subject. As in any real-life encounter with Aboriginal activist and artist Richard Bell, this self-portrait demonstrates a social relationship between oneself and the subject that provokes an emotional response — that of being challenged and intimidated. Bell’s presence is acutely felt with the dominating larger-than-life scale of the painting. The rendering of his face is central, holding your attention in a vice-like grip and yet eye contact is barely perceptible. You are in the grip of a formidable human presence, challenging your very thoughts and your right to be in ‘his’ space. Furthermore, visual tropes of contemporary, popular ‘gangsta’ culture convinces the viewer that Bell believes he is a real-life gangster.

As a self-portrait, Me meshes the established genre of portraiture with the contemporary cultural style of the “selfie”. The square shape of the painting alludes to the social evolution of images of self. The style of the “selfie” as portraiture constructs a set of beliefs that a recognised person can use to express themselves, enhancing the intelligibility for the viewer. As a giant square canvas, the painting references the popular square styled photos of the image based social media platform Instagram. Bell’s construction of self in this style increases the dominance of his presence as a well-known public person.

Bell identifies culturally as Aboriginal. Me uses traditional Aboriginal painting techniques, texture and tones that affirm this. Traditional Aboriginal desert art motifs are used on the face — dots under the left eye and stripes on the right side of the nose. When up close the earthy tones and ochre colours could be a topographic map– a technique common to the two-dimensional reproductions of storytelling and representations of Aboriginal spirituality and notions of country. The thick layers of paint recreate an older person’s leathered skin. This weathered complexion framed in the prickly brush strokes of a grey beard are common to an older person, an Elder that commands respect by their presence. The combination of these techniques, textures and tones can also be collectively read as representative of Australia’s colonised history. Government policies of annihilation and assimilation and identity politics of skin colour can be read in the face with the overall effect of skin peeling, raising the question, is the subject black or white? Is he a black man wearing a white man’s mask, or symbolic of living and working in a white man’s world?

As the painting takes the eye from the physiology of Bell’s face, you notice that he is dressed in recognisable tropes of an African-American subculture. The shiny suit, the hat and the chain are commonly representative of ‘gangsta’ style. The use of reflected light on the dark blue suit and hat allude to the texture of the materials being shiny, flashy and new. There is clear juxtaposition between the traditional colours and textures of the face and hair with the dark shapes and modern fabrics, perhaps representative of assimilation under colonisation. The neck chain itself is an iconic symbol of ‘gangsta’ style and represents success and wealth. The chain can be read from left to right — the realistic and modern shape of a gold chain across to the dots on the right — decolonising of western iconography by claiming it back to the traditional style of dot painting. Great artists are realists and when an artist reflects their world in a self-portrait than the context of ‘gangsta’ style is compelling for the provocation realised through the painting and the space that surrounds the subject.

The space around Bell in Me, creates psychological tension. The painting has two elements — the person and the circles that surround him. The circles are geometric, repetitive colours and thick lines surrounding the head, creating the effect of the subject being in the centre. The space can be read in three ways: a target of racism; a religious halo or a shooting target. The symbolism of the target as representative of being a victim of racism has previously been explored by Bell’s fellow proppaNOW collective artist, Tony Albert — perhaps a mark of respect to another artist or he identified strongly with the work. The effect of a religious halo could also be symbolic of the artist’s state of mind or destiny to become a ‘saviour’. However, transcending both of these is the idea that the artist is the bulls-eye, the target in a gang war. Generally, in popular gangsta-styling firearms are present, the portrait does not demonstrate that directly so the illusion of violence and thuggish activities are alluded to through the presence of what could be a shooting target.

Me is a powerful self-portrait of an artist that truly believes he is a real-life gangster, and successfully challenges and intimidates the viewer.