100 Points When Lit 1981

Curator: Immediately I'm struck by this hyperreal quality – like a still life taken from a fever dream of late nights at an arcade. Editor: That's a great observation. Let's tell our listeners about this artwork. It's titled "100 Points When Lit" by Charles Bell, completed in 1981. Bell was an American painter celebrated for his photorealistic paintings of toys, pinball machines, and other nostalgic objects. Curator: And look at the crispness of the details! Each reflection, every fleck of dust seems deliberately placed. What fascinates me is how Bell elevates this everyday object—the pinball machine—into something worthy of contemplation. The medium is obviously paint. I am most curious about what choices about layers and types of materials create this depth and reflectivity. Editor: Absolutely. He certainly plays with symbols here, doesn't he? Consider the lurid figure looming at the bottom—a fiery-eyed wrestler, a modern-day underworld deity presiding over the game. It suggests ideas about chance and fate. Even the points system, "100 Points When Lit," feels almost ritualistic. Curator: I agree; this isn't mere representation; it's an investigation into popular culture. Pop Art was about finding significance in mass-produced imagery, but I believe that Bell’s practice explores the commercial process beyond iconography. It questions the art-making enterprise through technical virtuosity that draws focus to consumer objects and labor. Editor: A compelling argument. And while his technique is undoubtedly meticulous, the final product vibrates with emotional energy, an echo of adolescent excitement and competition. What I see reflected in the polished chrome isn't just light but memories, cultural associations... Curator: …and commodification of play itself! Which is itself a form of labor for both player and creator. Very interesting points to consider. Thank you. Editor: Thanks to you too. A game well-played, I’d say.