Discover the edition
In Conversation
In conversation, Luc Tuymans reflects on the origins and underlying tensions of Bell Boy, and the role of image-making in shaping meaning.Can you tell us about the origin story of Bell Boy – does the painting translate a photograph? What first drew you to this image?
The Bell Boy is something I saw on YouTube. It is showing Dresden in 1934, where the bell boy is turning his back to the lens.
How central is the historical context to this work?
Since it is a uniform figure portrayed on the verge of abstraction, turning his back to the viewer, it immediately could be seen as a monolithic image of order and power.
At first, Bell Boy might seem innocent. Were you interested in creating that impression – a tension between image, title and subject?
I am always interested in the tension between image, title and subject, since no image should be one-dimensional in terms of meaning. It should always be layered.
The colours are muted and restrained. How did you decide on the palette, and what role does colour play in shaping meaning in your work more generally?
Every painting is assessed in a different way. Here, the image should portray a certain luminosity. More generally, I have always preferred to work with tonality instead of a straightforward colour, since it gives a real depth to a painting.
In today’s political climate, what does it mean to repeat this image, and does reproduction change how you think about its power?
An image which is reproduced and distributed in its multitude creates a different form of accessibility. In terms of today’s political climate, it can be associated with authoritarianism and even fascism, but at the same time, a perverse sense of nostalgia as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The colours are muted and restrained. How did you decide on the palette, and what role does colour play in shaping meaning in your work more generally?
Every painting is assessed in a different way. Here, the image should portray a certain luminosity. More generally, I have always preferred to work with tonality instead of a straightforward colour, since it gives a real depth to a painting.
In today’s political climate, what does it mean to repeat this image, and does reproduction change how you think about its power?
An image which is reproduced and distributed in its multitude creates a different form of accessibility. In terms of today’s political climate, it can be associated with authoritarianism and even fascism, but at the same time, a perverse sense of nostalgia as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Go deeper
Watch founder Tom Murphy of Make–Ready introduce Luc Tuymans’ Bell Boy – a new limited edition silkscreen print exploring memory, history, and the ambiguity of images.
