SHELF

ROBERLEY BELL | some things at this distance

April 23 - May 26, 2023

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"This series of small scale sculptures, titled some things, initially thought of as mental preparation for large-scale work, have evolved into a practice in and of itself opening new avenues for the investigation of the boundary between color, material and form on an intimate scale.The sculptures straddle the space between representation and abstraction. The dominant features of color and form co-mingle and expand the potential for disparate materials to come together in new ways resulting in hybridized forms. This series is crafted using a range of media most often painted white, the uniform paint serves to both unify the discrete materials into a single form as well as alter them. The addition of a bright accent of color — a burst of neon orange flocking, or bright green paint boldly announces itself from the white of the sculpture's body. It is both the combination of materials and their inherent properties that I explore in my work; seeking potential in unexpected ways. Elements remain transitory; possibilities are alive within these compositions until the assembled parts are rendered into a whole." -RB

Roberley Bell's practice draws on the world around her, in particular the scrutiny of nature and the built environment in search of abstraction. Bell is the recipient of numerous fellowships including awards from the New York Foundation for the Arts, a Pollock Krasner Fellowship, and a Fulbright to Turkey. Bell has had numerous residencies including the Cite International in Paris. Stadt Künstlerhaus, Salzburg, Austria, The International Studio Program, NYC and Sculpture Space, Utica, NY amongst others. Most recently she was a research fellow at the Urban Institute, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. Bell’s work has been exhibited and reviewed internationally. She has completed public projects in numerous cities, including, Istanbul, Turkey, Kaliningrad, Russia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cambridge. Her recent public project Playscape for the Fitchburg Museum of Art was installed in Fall 2022. Bell’s upcoming solo exhibition Where Things Set: sculpture and drawing, opens at the Brattleboro Museum of Art in June 2023. Bell lives in Western Massachusetts, maintaining a studio in the historic canal city of Holyoke, MA.