Bell Nakai

Bell Nakai paints in hot-pinks and candy-hues to mask internal sadness. Painted with acrylics on linen, Nakai works in a fast, intuitive way. She does this intentionally to capture a sense of childlike wonder and joy. Japanese Shoujo manga cartoons have had a big impact on her work. This influence is particularly clear in the style of the character's facial features. Most are hidden. Long manga eyelashes hide eyes, noses and ears are obscured by oversized glasses. The downturned mouth is the smallest feature on the face, but the only hint of their true emotions.

Each work is overlaid with digital elements. Hashtags, pixels, emojis, phones and memes. As the figures are clearly sad, this marks the negative impact of social media on mental health. It’s a JK Life (2021) depicts a forlorn child. Her phone is clutched to her chest and her hat is decorated with emoji-shaped patches. One of them is a ‘no phones’ warning symbol – the irony is all too familiar to most of us. As such, Nakai subverts fun and play to comment on more sober themes of social anxiety and loneliness. Her work is a reminder to resist our ever-growing dependance on screens.