Passage 1999

Julie Bell's 'Passage' from 1999 is an oil painting of a woman holding a sword. When I look at it, I imagine what it might have been like for her to create this work. I see the woman front and centre, her expression unreadable. What's so fascinating is the way Bell renders the fantasy backdrop. Like, what world is this? The butterfly dirigibles feel almost gothic. I think about the emotional and intellectual resonances embedded in each brushstroke. The paint is meticulously applied. I bet Bell reworked these forms over and over, each layer subtly shifting the mood and tone of the piece. It all feels very considered. I often feel like artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas. We are forever inspiring one another’s creativity. As a painter, I'm interested in how we embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations. Bell is showing us that painting is a form of embodied expression that resists definitive readings.