The collaboration
Richard Bell, Queensland Art Gallery

The brief
Third Drawer Down Studio were thrilled to collaborate QAGOMA on this bold clutch for the Richard Bell exhibition, 2015. QAGOMA wanted something that utilised the 1953 artwork in a satirical manner as per his works. 

The artist
Richard Bell creates satirical works that raise issues regarding stereotypical ideas of Aboriginal people, culture and art, and the forces that drive the production of Aboriginal art today. Bell was a political activist in the 1980s (and continues to be active in this regard) before becoming known for his appropriation paintings, videos and installations. Larry 2015 was filmed in Venice, Italy, the site of one of the biggest and oldest Biennales in the world. It sees Bell adopting the persona of a wealthy gallerist and businessman to engage viewers with uncomfortable realities. Larry highlights the ways in which Aboriginal art has become a highly desirable and marketable commodity, while also functioning as satirical projection of the generalisations made about Indigenous peoples in Australia. Bell's work is deliberately provocative and bold, aiming to create discussion and reflection as an ongoing process of activism.

The product details