In 'Me Me Dreaming', the series from which this painting comes, Richard Bell explores the relationship between self-identity and society, referencing Emily Kngwarreye’s art through an intentional beauty that encapsulates how collectivism inevitably leads to capitalism in our society. The series’ notable motif of layers “Me, Me, Me,” relates to ideas of self-obsession and consumerism. Bell further plays with perspective, transforming “Me” into “We” at certain angles, highlighting the importance of community alongside individual identity. Artist Bio Richard Bell (b. 1953, Charleville, Queensland) is a member of the Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang communities. Bell grew out of a generation of Aboriginal activists and has remained committed to the politics of Aboriginal emancipation and self-determination. One of Australia’s most significant artists, Bell’s work explores the complex artistic and political problems of Western, colonial and Indigenous art production. In 2003, he was the recipient of the Telstra National Aboriginal Art Award, establishing him as an important Australian artistic figure. Bell is represented in most major National and State collections, and has exhibited in a number of solo exhibitions at important institutions in Australia and America. In 2013, he was included in the National Gallery of Canada’s largest show of International Indigenous art, Sakàhan, and at the Fifth Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art. In 2014, Bell’s solo exhibition Embassy opened at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, Perth. In 2015, Bell was a finalist in the Archibald Prize, presented a collaborative exhibition of new work with Emory Douglas at Milani Gallery, and exhibited his major work Embassy 2013-ongoing as part of Performa 15, New York City and the 16th Jakarta Biennale, curated by Charles Esche. Bell also premiered a body of new work as part of the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art’s 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane. In 2016, BELL invites… an exhibition of Bell and work by friends and collaborators opened at the Stedelijk Museum SMBA, Amsterdam. Bell also presented Embassy as part of the 20th Biennale of Sydney, curated by Stephanie Rosenthal, and premiered a new sculptural commission in Sonsbeek 2016 at the Dutch Art Institute in Arnhem, Netherlands. In 2017, EMBASSY travelled to e-Flux, New York City, in the Toxic Assets exhibition, and the Indigenous New York, Artists’ Perspectives program curated by Alan Michelson at the New School. In 2018, Bell won in the fourth iteration of the biennial painting award, The Gold Award. Bell lives and works in Brisbane, Australia.Contemporary Aboriginal Art

Stathi Raftopoulos is pictured performing as a magician under the name of 'Rafto the Magician'. Stathi Raftopoulos pursued a range of creative interests throughout his lifetime in the Greek and the broader Australian communities. Interests included performing as a magician, acting in Greek theatre productions, poetry writing and reciting, Ithacan family history, film and cinema, and painting. He was also an avid collector of memorabilia. At Ithacan funerals Stathi would be called upon to recite a poem in memory of the deceased which was always so nostalgic and evocative of the Ithacan migrant experience that there would be hardly a dry eye in the church.A black and white photograph of a man dressed in a dinner suit and wearing a top hat. He is holding playing cards in one hand and a walking cane in the other. The photograph has a cream border.

Round black velvet disc with caricature-style image of a soldier in US Army battle dress with a rifle over his left shoulder painted on it . Flags of America, Vietnam and Korea are in the background. He is holding a road sign. "Tobey" on his right pocket.On helmet: FAID-V ( written in pen) . On road sign: HQ69th Sig B.N. VIETNAM printed in white on top of disc.plaque, america, craft, art, souvenir, us soldier

Stathi Raftopoulos had an interest in magic and developed an act which he performed as 'Rafto the Magician'. He worked with the Glad Eye Review Company and National Follies which performed in various Melbourne venues including the Tivoli and Kings Theatres. He also regularly entertained children at the annual Ithacan children's Christmas Tree party.A coloured photograph of a man dressed as a magician in a black suit with tails and wearing a top hat. He is on the stage at the Melbourne Town Hall performing magic tricks. He is holding a wine bottle in one hand and a glass in the other.melbourne town hall, entertainment

Stathi Raftopoulos as a young man developed an interest in performing magic tricks. He performed, under the name of Rafto the Magician, with the Glad Eye Review Company and the National Follies. The companies performed in venues around Melbourne including the Tivoli and Kings Theatres. He also regularly entertained children at the annual Ithacan Christmas tree party.A coloured photograph featuring a magician on the stage at the Melbourne Town Hall performing tricks for an audience. He is holding a top hat in his hand and is standing in front of a small table which is covered with a patterned cloth.melbourne town hall, entertainment

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Section of a longer nursery wallpaper dado depicting kittens playing with a groups of mice watching. Under the solid and fine lines creating a border at the top is a series of tassels on a green background. Above the similar lower border are sections imitating a wooden batons with the wood grain picked out in black on a yellow background. The colourway used in the sample includes outlines in black, grey, pale yellow and teal green.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, wallpapers -- dado borders

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school. Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery rhyme wallpaper pattern. Green wallpaper square with various nursery rhyme motifs. "Mrs Rebe Rigg 10 West St New York" written on back. Verso: "Mrs Rebe Rigg 10 West St New York"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school. Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery wallpaper depicting children playing. Picture scene for each month of the year. "12225 Sanitary" stamped verso. Verso: "12225 Sanitary"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, sanitary wallpapers

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery wallpaper depicting Japanese people with counting rhymes printed around them. "70442 Sanitary" printed verso. Verso: "70442 Sanitary"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, sanitary wallpapers

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Children's nursery wallpaper. Depicts Goosey Goosey Gander themes. "26331 Sanitary" printed verso.Verso: "26331 Sanitary"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, sanitary wallpapers

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school. Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery wallpaper depicting children and sheep. "66490" stamped on back. Verso: "66490"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Section of a late nineteenth century wallpaper sample showing boys and girls playing games and boating amongst a decorative background of leaves and flowers. The colourway uses tones of greens, purples and blues on a fawn background.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Empire theme children's nursery wallpaper. Depicts Union Jack with children playing with others from around the British Empire.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham

A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Sections of a longer nursery wallpaper roll purchased from a Melbourne retailer in the 1850s. The wallpaper depicts figures in an imaginary rural landscape. The central repeated image in this painterly design is a woman seated on a chair with a child playing at her feet. Farm animals include a white duck, a hen and a rooster. Other elements of the imaginative, playful design include a church, a Greek temple and a cart wheel. The sophisticated printing technique allows for subtle shading of the selected colourway.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham