Robert Bell (artist and curator)

Robert Stewart Bell AM (29 December 1946 - 28 July 2018) was an Australian artist and arts curator, best known for his focus on decorative arts. He also worked as an artist in ceramics and textiles.

Robert Stewart Bell

AM
Born(1946-12-29)29 December 1946
Perth, Western Australia
Died28 July 2018(2018-07-28) (aged 71)
Canberra, Australia
NationalityAustralian
OccupationArts administrator
Known forCurator at the National Gallery of Australia (-2016)
Spouse(s)Eugenie Keefer Bell

Biography

Bell was born in Perth, Western Australia.

From 1967, he was the Senior Exhibits Designer at the Western Australian Museum.

From 1978, he was the Curator of Craft and Design at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. He has been credited as establishing the Art Gallery of WA's department of craft and design in that year.[1]

While at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, he organised and curated the first of the inaugural 1989 Perth International Crafts Triennial, which was at the time, the largest collated exhibition of craft in an Australian gallery.[2]

In 2000, he moved to Canberra to work as Senior curator of Australian and international decorative arts and design, at the National Gallery of Australia.[3][4] He curated the Gallery's 2005-2006 exhibition, 'Transformations: The Language of Craft', which was described by then-Director Ron Radford as "the first show of its kind in the gallery's history", as they had not previously held a survey show of contemporary Australian and international studio craft.[5] Bell's impact on the acquisition of decorative arts during his tenure at the Gallery was highlighted in 2008 by Terry Ingram in the Australian Financial Review. Ingram described his buying as 'counter-cyclical', as Bell purchased modern and contemporary crafts prior to market interest, and later focused on Australiana, especially silver.[6]

His Doctor of Philosophy thesis was focused on the influence of Scandinavian design in Australia and was initially started at the University of Western Australia, and later transferred and awarded by the Australian National University in 2007.[7]

In 2013, Bell was an adviser for the Futuro Relocation and Restoration Project, which focused on preserving the prefabricated Futuro House designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen.[8]

In 2015, he was interviewed by ABC Radio Canberra's Louise Maher on the significance of a rare Tiffany lamp with a design based on the motif of a carp.[9]

Bell worked at the National Gallery until his retirement from the role of Senior Curator of Decorative Arts and Design in late 2016.[10][11]

While Bell had a studio art practice in ceramics and textiles, he ceased making his own art in order to focus on promoting Australian craft and design within his curatorial roles.[12]

He died in Canberra on 28 July 2018.

Awards
  • Centenary Medal for services to the decorative arts in Australia, 2001
  • Australia Council Visual Art Board Emeritus Medal for service to the crafts in Australia, 2005[13]
  • Order of Australia AM for services to craft, design and museums, 2010

Collections

Bell's work is held in the National Gallery of Victoria, and includes illustrations for Jack the Giant Killer.[14]

Bibliography
  • Page, Jutta-Annette, Morrin, Peter, Bell, Robert (2012). Color Ignited: Glass 1962-2012. Toledo Museum of Art (Toledo), ISBN 9780935172423
  • Bell, Robert (2005). Transformations: the language of craft. National Gallery of Australia (Canberra), ISBN 0642541388
  • Bell, Robert (1998). Nature as object: craft and design form Japan, Finland and Australia. Art Gallery of Western Australia (Perth). ISBN 073093621X
  • Bell, Robert (1992). Design Visions. Gallery of Western Australia (Perth). ISBN 0730936031
  • Bell, Robert (1989). Perth International Crafts Triennial. Gallery of Western Australia (Perth). ISSN 1034-8859

References
  1. "Objects of desire". The Austrlaian. 20 June 1998.
  2. Hough, David (20 October 1989). "Craftsmanship rediscovered". Australian Financial Review (Late ed.). p. 10.
  3. Hely, Patsy (November 2016). "Shaping culture: Conversations on craft and design with Robert Bell". Art Monthly Australia (294): 70–77. ISSN 1033-4025 – via Informit.
  4. Hinchcliffe, Meredith (1 August 2000). "Glass a compelling 'entree'". The Canberra Times. p. 11.
  5. McDonald, John (21 January 2006). "Material possessions". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 28.
  6. Ingram, Terry (15 May 2008). "Gallery takes shine to early silver". The Australian Financial Review. p. 61.
  7. Bell, Robert Stewart (2007). Nordic wave: a study of the reception and influence of Scandinavian design in Australia. Australian National University.
  8. "New countdown for ACT pod". The Canberra Times. 25 November 2013. p. A008.
  9. Maher, Louise (2015-06-02). "A rare Tiffany table lamp at the NGA". ABC News. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  10. Musa, Helen (7 December 2016). "Robert Bell leaves the NGA". City News. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  11. "Robert Bell retires from National Gallery of Australia – World Crafts Council – Australia". wccaustralia.org.au. 2 November 2016. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  12. Pryor, Sally (14 June 2010). "Eye for design helps artist curate exhibits". The Canberra Times. p. 13.
  13. Musa, Helen (25 November 2005). "Gallery curator picks up arts award". The Canberra Times. p. 7.
  14. "Robert BELL | Artists | NGV". www.ngv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
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