Jenny Bell: Life Forms
curated by Anne Sanders
23 jun. — 5 aug. 2023
23 jun. — 5 aug. 2023
Jenny Bell: Life Forms
Image: Jenny Bell, Banners for life - Bees No 1 study, 2022, vinyl paint on 300gsm magnani paper. Image courtesy Jenny Bell.
curated by Anne Sanders
Image: Jenny Bell, Banners for life - Bees No 1 study, 2022, vinyl paint on 300gsm magnani paper. Image courtesy Jenny Bell.
Jenny Bell: Life Forms
curated by Anne Sanders
23 jun. — 5 aug. 2023
Drawing and its focus on line and form is a constant throughout Jenny Bell’s artistic journey. This exhibition, Life Forms, takes drawing as the underpinning of all her work; its attendant close observation, rhythms and pattern-searching inform her life as both a regenerative farmer and an artist.
The title, Life Forms, plays on ‘forms’ as both a descriptor and immanent action. Bell’s lines form and morph, ‘as a hill becomes an eye socket and a mountain range gives way to a horse’s forehead.’[1]
Life Forms is a distillation of Bell’s drawings, installations and assemblages. A significant change in her work occurred during her involvement with Earth Canvas, a project and exhibition that engaged artists working with regenerative farmers. As both a regenerative farmer and artist, the Earth Canvas project offered Bell ‘a rare chance for these two worlds – art and land management – to engage, where we could learn from the very different ways we tap into nature’s life force, the root of both endeavours.’[2]
Bell’s reductive line became more graphic and her use of bold primary colours marked a transformative breakthrough in her practice and her ability to portray the essence of the spirit of place.
[1] Jenny Bell quote 2014, Australian Galleries media release for ‘Accord’ exhibition 28 April to 17 May 2015.
[2] Stephen Burns quoting Jenny Bell, ‘Artist and Farmer – aesthetic empathy’, The Land, 29 May 2021.
Related Events
Book Launch 'Jenny Bell: Life Forms'
Drawing at Bohara
Panel chat: Jenny Bell, Phoebe Cowdery and Martin Royds
Jenny Bell and Anne Sanders: Artist and curator in conversation
Exhibition Opening: Jenny Bell, Nicci Haynes, Heni Hardi
16
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring introductory text. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Fence for Janet Dawson, 2021, Akubra felt hat on board, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Frosty morning Bohara, 1996, found wood, tin, nails, leather glue, courtesy Private collection, and Jenny Bell, Shedding Light No 8, 2019, oil on plantation Hoop Pine board, courtesy Private Collection. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lake George, 2010, gouache on paper cut outs mounted on gaterboard, courtesy of the Artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lake George (detail), 2010, gouache on paper cut outs mounted on gaterboard, courtesy of the Artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Study for Horse No 2, 2017-2018, acrylic paint and Hoop Pine plywood on stringy bark plinth, courtesy Private Collection and Jenny Bell, Tractor No 2, 2021, vinyl paint, steel, Hoop Pine plywood on Jarrah plinth, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Permanent Collection. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Jenny Bell 2021. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow No 1, Cow No 2, and Cow No 3, 2013 – 2014, oil and acrylic paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy Private Collection. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Study for Horse No 2, 2017-2018, acrylic paint and Hoop Pine plywood on stringy bark plinth, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 2, 2021, vinyl paint, steel, Hoop Pine plywood on Jarrah plinth, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Permanent Collection. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Jenny Bell 2021; Jenny Bell, Cow No 1; Cow No 2; and Cow No 3, 2013 – 2014, oil and acrylic paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy Private Collection. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow no 61, 1993, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Mrs Cumberland from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, 2 Cows, 1993, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, Building a yard No. 5 (Rod fencing, from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, The Ram, 2000, courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries; Jenny Bell, Horse and Tank with pink hose from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 53, 1995, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Horse with rug, 1988, courtesy of the artist and Jenny Bell, Cow No 22, 1988, courtesy of the artist, each pastel and charcoal on paper. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow no 61, 1993, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Mrs Cumberland from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, 2 Cows, 1993, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, Building a yard No. 5 (Rod fencing, from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, The Ram, 2000, courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries; Jenny Bell, Horse and Tank with pink hose from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 53, 1995, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Horse with rug, 1988, courtesy of the artist and Jenny Bell, Cow No 22, 1988, courtesy of the artist, each pastel and charcoal on paper. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lifeblood, 2019, vinyl paint on hoop pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photograph.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow no 61, 1993, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Mrs Cumberland from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, 2 Cows, 1993, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, Building a yard No. 5 (Rod fencing, from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, The Ram, 2000, courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries; Jenny Bell, Horse and Tank with pink hose from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 53, 1995, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Horse with rug, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Cow No 22, 1988, courtesy of the artist, each pastel and charcoal on paper and Jenny Bell, Lifeblood, 2019, vinyl paint on hoop pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lifeblood, 2019, vinyl paint on hoop pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photograph.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Image: Jenny Bell, Banners for life - Bees No 1 study, 2022, vinyl paint on 300gsm magnani paper. Image courtesy Jenny Bell.
Jenny Bell: Life Forms
curated by Anne Sanders
23 jun. — 5 aug. 2023
Drawing and its focus on line and form is a constant throughout Jenny Bell’s artistic journey. This exhibition, Life Forms, takes drawing as the underpinning of all her work; its attendant close observation, rhythms and pattern-searching inform her life as both a regenerative farmer and an artist.
The title, Life Forms, plays on ‘forms’ as both a descriptor and immanent action. Bell’s lines form and morph, ‘as a hill becomes an eye socket and a mountain range gives way to a horse’s forehead.’[1]
Life Forms is a distillation of Bell’s drawings, installations and assemblages. A significant change in her work occurred during her involvement with Earth Canvas, a project and exhibition that engaged artists working with regenerative farmers. As both a regenerative farmer and artist, the Earth Canvas project offered Bell ‘a rare chance for these two worlds – art and land management – to engage, where we could learn from the very different ways we tap into nature’s life force, the root of both endeavours.’[2]
Bell’s reductive line became more graphic and her use of bold primary colours marked a transformative breakthrough in her practice and her ability to portray the essence of the spirit of place.
[1] Jenny Bell quote 2014, Australian Galleries media release for ‘Accord’ exhibition 28 April to 17 May 2015.
[2] Stephen Burns quoting Jenny Bell, ‘Artist and Farmer – aesthetic empathy’, The Land, 29 May 2021.
Related Events
Book Launch 'Jenny Bell: Life Forms'
Drawing at Bohara
Panel chat: Jenny Bell, Phoebe Cowdery and Martin Royds
Jenny Bell and Anne Sanders: Artist and curator in conversation
Exhibition Opening: Jenny Bell, Nicci Haynes, Heni Hardi
16
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring introductory text. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Fence for Janet Dawson, 2021, Akubra felt hat on board, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Frosty morning Bohara, 1996, found wood, tin, nails, leather glue, courtesy Private collection, and Jenny Bell, Shedding Light No 8, 2019, oil on plantation Hoop Pine board, courtesy Private Collection. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lake George, 2010, gouache on paper cut outs mounted on gaterboard, courtesy of the Artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lake George (detail), 2010, gouache on paper cut outs mounted on gaterboard, courtesy of the Artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Study for Horse No 2, 2017-2018, acrylic paint and Hoop Pine plywood on stringy bark plinth, courtesy Private Collection and Jenny Bell, Tractor No 2, 2021, vinyl paint, steel, Hoop Pine plywood on Jarrah plinth, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Permanent Collection. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Jenny Bell 2021. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow No 1, Cow No 2, and Cow No 3, 2013 – 2014, oil and acrylic paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy Private Collection. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Study for Horse No 2, 2017-2018, acrylic paint and Hoop Pine plywood on stringy bark plinth, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 2, 2021, vinyl paint, steel, Hoop Pine plywood on Jarrah plinth, Goulburn Regional Art Gallery Permanent Collection. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program by Jenny Bell 2021; Jenny Bell, Cow No 1; Cow No 2; and Cow No 3, 2013 – 2014, oil and acrylic paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy Private Collection. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow no 61, 1993, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Mrs Cumberland from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, 2 Cows, 1993, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, Building a yard No. 5 (Rod fencing, from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, The Ram, 2000, courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries; Jenny Bell, Horse and Tank with pink hose from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 53, 1995, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Horse with rug, 1988, courtesy of the artist and Jenny Bell, Cow No 22, 1988, courtesy of the artist, each pastel and charcoal on paper. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow no 61, 1993, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Mrs Cumberland from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, 2 Cows, 1993, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, Building a yard No. 5 (Rod fencing, from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, The Ram, 2000, courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries; Jenny Bell, Horse and Tank with pink hose from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 53, 1995, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Horse with rug, 1988, courtesy of the artist and Jenny Bell, Cow No 22, 1988, courtesy of the artist, each pastel and charcoal on paper. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lifeblood, 2019, vinyl paint on hoop pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photograph.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Cow no 61, 1993, courtesy Private Collection; Jenny Bell, Mrs Cumberland from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, 2 Cows, 1993, courtesy the artist; Jenny Bell, Building a yard No. 5 (Rod fencing, from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1989, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, The Ram, 2000, courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries; Jenny Bell, Horse and Tank with pink hose from the series In my Father’s Paddock, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Tractor No 53, 1995, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Horse with rug, 1988, courtesy of the artist; Jenny Bell, Cow No 22, 1988, courtesy of the artist, each pastel and charcoal on paper and Jenny Bell, Lifeblood, 2019, vinyl paint on hoop pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Lifeblood, 2019, vinyl paint on hoop pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photograph.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.
Installation view Jenny Bell Life Forms curated by Anne Saunders featuring Jenny Bell, Buttermoths (detail), 2022-23, installation, vinyl paint on Hoop Pine plywood, courtesy of the artist. Photograph: Silversalt Photography.