colour theory with richard bell 

Director James Falconer Marshall

NITV / SBS

4 x 26 Minute Documentary (Series 2)

"Enlightening, entertaining, impeccably structured and gorgeous to look at" Sun Herald / The Age 

Art and culture come together in this four part series that goes behind the scenes into the communities of some of the new faces on the Indigenous art landscape to find out what makes them tick. 

Provocative artist, political activist and Colour Theory host Richard Bell, travels to the ancestral homelands of four artists across the east coast of Australia, looking at how country and culture inspire their modern form of art, and documenting their creative processes from inception through to production and exhibition. 

With each half hour episode, Bell introduces us to a new artist and their creative journey, and cultural influences as they develop a major work that helps place them in the Art landscape in bold statements as they develop and grow as artists in this country. 

Watch it Online - CLICK HERE

Episode 1

Megan Cope, explores notions of environment, identity, geomorphology and mapping; decolonizing methodologies and toponymy are a primary aspect of her practice. She is a descendant from the Quandamooka region (North Stradbroke Island) in South East QLD. Megan has exhibited her works at Australian Embassy in Washington DC, the Koori Heritage Trust in Melbourne, City Gallery in Wellington NZ, Gallery OED in India and the 2009 ARC Biennial in Brisbane as well as received commissions form the Moreton Bay Regional Council and Brisbane City Council.

TEHO ROPEYARN

Episode 2

Teho Ropeyarn is a Cairns based artist and printmaker from the Injinoo Community in Far North Queensland. With the ambition of starting up his own business, Teho Ropeyarn Designs, Ropeyarn will use his Artstart grant to develop his skills in business and present a stronger online presence. The artist identifies this as an essential aspect to a successful business, as well as building connections with other industry partners. The ArtStarter is off to a great start with his print work included in the 2012 Primaveraa exhibition at the (MCA). Primavera is the annual exhibition showcasing a selection of outstanding Australian artists thirty-five years and younger. Ropeyarn’s work featured in the exhibition present totemic animals and landscapes from his home community of Injinoo. His work finds its inspiration in the stories passed down from Injinoo Elders. With a long term plan of being recognised for ‘a unique body of work that will captivate art buyers, museums, galleries and collectors from around Australia and the world,’ Ropeyarn realises the importance of exposure and anticipates his business website will give him ‘worldwide access.’ Teho’s most recent success was to be awarded the Works on Paper Telstra Art Award for 2013.

LUCY SIMPSON

Episode 3

Lucy Simpson creator of Gaawaa Miyay draws inspiration from her heritage ushering in a new genre of Australian Design. Inspired by the people, place and country of her ancestors, Simpson’s contemporary Indigenous designs are a continuation of age old traditions expressed in new and exciting ways. The result is timeless and sophisticated, contemporary and stylish. Simpson’s work is at its purest, a celebration of her identity – expressing, interpreting, and connecting through layers of time and memory. Her products are strikingly beautiful whilst capturing a refined natural aesthetic. Simpson derives inspiration specifically from her connection to her country and family. Her unique visual storytelling and narrative style has already seenher recognised as a designer with big things on the horizon, being named by Monument Magazine as 1 of 10 outstanding designers to watch in Architecture and Design Today, and with commendations from theAustralian Design Review as one of the top 10 picks at Design Made Trade 2011.

DALE HARDING

Episode 4

Trained by artists Jennifer Herd and Gordon Hookey, and mentored by Richard Bell and Tony Albert, Dale Harding’s cross stitching is rich and colour and is somewhat totemic. His graduate exhibition “Colour by Numbers”, curated by Tony Albert, was Harding’s expression of Aboriginal girls and women who were sexually exploited throughout history whilst serving as slaves in colonialists homes. A versatile artist, Harding’s sculpture of a breast plate which was used to almost barcode aboriginal people was also featured in his first solo exhibition. Dale is a Bidijira man and his family still lives inbetween their country in Central Queensland and Brisbane.