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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
"Size Matters" new & revisited work from John Bell at the Pop Shops
January 10, 2009 - February 14, 2009
Salt Lake City, Utah - The Pop Shops is proud to present a new exhibition by John Bell, "Size Matters", opening and artist reception Saturday, January 10th 6:00 p.m -9:00 p.m. Wine & hors d'oeurvre compliments of Southern Wine/Spirts West and Cucina Toscana Restaurant.
John Bell's "Size Matters" comprises of over 20 works including paintings, mixed media and prints ranging in size from 4" x 4" to 14 feet x 6 feet. A prolific and multidisciplinary artist Bell creates work that illustrates his interest in combining elements of abstract expressionism, geometric abstraction, pop art, music, theater, modern sculpture and architecture.
Now opened in the old Campo building on Highland Drive in Sugarhouse, the Pop Shops is the final retail and art experiment from the couple that introduced boutique import furniture retailing to Salt Lake City. Having lost their lease and vacating the building in spring of 09, Campo Home Founders Brian and Chris Seethaler launched the Pop Shops poject to explore the relationship between fine art, social activity, and retail consumerism in a temporary, constantly transforming space. Although still in the early planning process for 2009, the Pop Shops project--after leaving their current space--will move to various temporary locations throughout Salt Lake to continue to explore and experiement with art, commerce and social activity.
"John Bell's work", explains Brian Seethaler of the Pop Shops, "is informed by architectural principle, social interaction, mid-century expressionism, and philosophical and practical inquiry; It's notable because it has blown through the established intersections of abstract expressionism and modern social and graphic design to exist in a new and singularly relevant space. There are a number of proficient modern artists working in Salt Lake today, but John's work stands far above the crowd's by continuing to stretch artistic boundries while maintaining suprisingly accessible connections to the human condition that has inspired great art always: desire, love, despair, confusion, contemplation, reflection, doubt and inner peace are all evidenced in works that challenge our ideas of form, color,kinetics, and spatial relationships. I don't mind in any way sounding turgid when describing Bell's work, because once you experienced it personally, you'll understand how bombast and powerful composition and execution can change your way of thinking about art and architecture, and, well, life."
Bell's work has been placed in many private collections throughout Utah and the U.S. Hailed as "An artist on the Rise" by Salt Lake Magazine; Bell's has exhibited in 24 solo and group exhibitions in the past 5 years, including Art Basel in Miami, his west coast debut in the Los Angeles area this past spring, a solo exhibition and mural commission New York's Time Warner Center. He has received acknowledgments and reviews in Artists of Utah 15 bytes online, Salt Lake City Weekly, Artcotic.com, Juxtapoz, Catalyst, In Utah, Fox 13 News, Arkade Magazine, NY Art World, Artnet and Blackbook Magazine.
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