Stretching the Truth: artist’s expression through caricature

Stretching the Truth: an artist’s expression through caricature

An aversion to home economics has led to a life long devotion to caricature for Canterbury artist Jeff Bell, whose first solo exhibition opens next week.

‘Stretching the Truth’ showcases Bell’s recent work featuring caricatures of New Zealand and international politicians. It runs from Sunday 19 June to Thursday 21 July at Rangiora’s Chamber Gallery.

“I hated home economics at primary school, and the teacher didn’t like me very much. She was pretty scary so I just started secretly drawing cartoons of her in class,” says Bell.

He fell in love with political caricature after discovering New Zealand’s Murray Webb, Mad Magazine, and British satirical TV programme Spitting Image.

“Exaggerating the human face is so much fun. It’s not always mean – you just need to find that person’s essence. It just happens that most politicians have a pretty rotten essence,” says Bell, who counts Gerry Brownlee as his favourite politician to caricature.

His art has seen him travel to Europe, meeting other caricature artists.

“Attending an international caricature convention in Vienna was huge for me. I was around people from all over Europe and America who took caricature very seriously. It gave me a real desire to push my work to a new level.”

In 2013 Bell was a runner up in the New Zealand Listener Young Cartoonist Award, and says he still dreams of being a political cartoonist. Right now, he is focusing on caricature.

“I’m excited about sharing my work in my home town of Rangiora. We recently got our first set of traffic lights, so I’m hoping the Mayor comes to the opening of my exhibition as well.”

The exhibition will open 3.30pm, Sunday 19 June with the artist present at the Chamber Gallery, 141 Percival Street, Rangiora.

ENDS

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