The most provocative and uncompromisingly brilliant of today's crop of contemporary indigenous artists, the raucous, rebellious and rampaging Richard
Bell has pulled his best stunt yet by winning the prestigious 20th Telstra National Aboriginal Arts Award in August 2003. His winning entry was titled Scienta E Metaphysica (Bell's Theorum)
, or "Aboriginal Art Its a White Thing". He caused a minor sensation when presented with the award at a ceremony in Darwin when he wore one of the more provocative of
his range of personally designed T-Shirts which was caused and instant knee-jerk reaction from the ever so politically correct ones at the gathering. As a result he was pilloried in the NT government chamber by
no less than Chief Minister Clare Martin, which delighted Richard because of the invaluable national publicity it generated for him, his work and his win!
To accompany the winning painting Bell has written a major paper titled "Bell's Theorum - Aboriginal Art, Its a White Thing" which can be read by clicking here. To see some other samples of Richard Bell's work click here
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