Deborah Bell

Artist biography:

Magus/Shaman rider on lion, symbolises transformation, triumph and power.

Born in 1957 in Johannesburg

Studied fine art at the University of the Witwatersrand graduating BA in 1975 and MA in 1986.

Deborah Bell is a leading Johannesburg painter and sculptor whose work is created in dialogue with multiple worlds, texts, histories and consciousnesses. Bell's drawings, etchings and monumental clay sculptures possess a kind of 'mystical godliness' which comes from deep within her. Her art making is a spiritual practice in which the role of the artist is to 'co-create the world, to materialise what exists and has existed for all time'. Inspired by museum objects from ancient civilisations, including African, Babylonian and Egyptian, her work incorporates multi-layered references to past and present worlds. This connection to ancient sources and memories is linked to her spiritual beliefs and how she defines herself as an artist in Africa, working with materials such as clay and bronze.

She has been in many solo and group shows, both locally and abroad since 1982. From 1986 to 1997 she collaborated with Robert Hodgins and William Kentridge on various projects. The most recent collaboration is entitled Ubu and the Truth Commission, reflecting on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that was set up in South Africa to address the crimes of apartheid.