The RED Interview
The spirit of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec has surfaced in Utah. The late-19th century artist drew inspiration from the Paris underground, locating aesthetic beauty in crowded nightclubs and cabarets. Leia Bell draws similar insight from the indie-rock scene. “I think art and music go hand in hand,” Bell says in an e-mail interview. “Album-cover art used to be huge, but with the invention of CDs and downloading music, the artwork has become small or nonexistent. Hence, the poster art prevails.”

Now the artist herself is achieving proper recognition. On Friday, Sept. 19, Bell will appear at Ken Sanders Rare Books for an exhibition of show posters and art prints. Select limited-edition images will be available for signing.

Ken Sanders originally came across Bell through word-of-mouth. Friends advised him to check out her work—though Sanders’ passions tend toward valuable literature, he has long celebrated the fine art of posters.

“I grew up in the ’60s and as a former avid concertgoer (Terrance Ballroom, Dirt Palace, Old Mill, even the Valley Music Hall for Quicksilver Messenger Service), I was as interested in the poster art as the music itself,” Sanders says. “I still have a large collection of what I call ‘Salt Lake ’60s’ posters and have sporadically collected newer artwork of the ’80s and ’90s.”
There was once a time when poster art commanded the public’s attention. However, during the past few decades, interest has waned and the demand for such material has seriously declined.

Most contemporary works are simply mass-produced photos, completely devoid of personality. Cheap, slick images establishing the rocker as star are standard—typical of a generation raised on a steady diet of corporate marketing campaigns. The effect is one of complete alienation as the artist in front of the camera becomes iconic, larger than both the photographer and audience. Part of the appeal of concert printmaking is its attention toward the community. It is designed not to idolize its subject, but to bring together both creators and appreciators of art.

Fortunately, thanks to artists like Bell, the once-dwindling genre is enjoying a renaissance.

“Leia Bell’s artwork and her marriage to the Kilby Court venue is some of the most interesting material to come along in a long time,” Sanders says.

Bell’s posters almost precede her name. Anyone who has ever been to Kilby has seen her work—brightly colored pop-art images sharing space with manuscript lettering. Each image is lifted from photographs taken by Bell. She then transfers the pictures with black ink, using them as a template for separate colored drawings which are transferred to silk screens and finally reprinted onto paper. The process is time-consuming, yet the results are far more appealing than the type of material any conveyor belt, cookie-cutter operation might yield.

Leia Bell's self-portrait is a RED exclusive - that's right. You can only see it here.

Most of the featured subjects are various bands appearing at the local all-ages venue. However, Bell is slowly expanding her market, creating distinct prints for additional Salt Lake clubs as well as for such nationally and internationally known spots as the Troubadour in Los Angeles and Rock City in Manchester, England. The wide distribution of posters is pervasive, subtly reaching a largely diverse audience, including those disinclined to actively uncover underground art. Anyone out on the town may catch a glimpse of Bell’s prints affixed to lampposts, outdoor bulletin boards, or in the dim light of his or her favorite bar.

“It’s relatively free advertising for not just the bands but also the artist,” Bell says. “It’s great to legitimately post your artwork around town for people to see, without having to score a gallery show.”

Bell has also gained exposure through networking with fellow artists. Online sites such as gigposters.com and live conventions provide platforms on which their talents may be displayed. Bell recently participated in Flatstock, a biannual event that allows artists to share and sell their material to the public. This year’s event was held in Seattle during the Bumbershoot Music Festival. “It was amazing!” Bell says. “I got to meet with all the designers face to face, and I got tons of positive response (and sales) for my posters.

Bell has certainly come a long way since her initial creative instincts kicked into gear, but the original intent remains intact. As a child, she designed her own coloring books, eventually graduating to screenprinting in high school. Bell was drawn to the medium for its ability to yield multiple images from one initial drawing. Suddenly she no longer needed to worry about running out of pieces to give friends. “I still liked giving my art away, and a painting is so hard to part with since there is only ONE,” Bell says. The discovery pushed her to pursue printmaking in college.

Her talents were put to use during the summer of 2001, when Kilby Court started gaining momentum.

“When I began designing posters, I didn’t really look at designers for inspiration, so I developed my own style,” Bell says.

Her determination to remain distinct is starting to pay off. Bell’s contributions to rock art have resulted in deals with Millennium Three snowboards and the TRUTH anti-tobacco campaigns. Still, for all of the accumulated success, Bell never fails to credit the community. Her decision to team up with Sanders, for example, was motivated out of respect and loyalty.

“He has given me tons of support and advice,” she says. “I owe him a great deal.” She can screenprint his due.

Leia Bell’s appearance at Ken Sanders Rare Books takes place on Sept. 19, 7-9 p.m. Her work will be on display through Oct. 11.
jamie@red-mag.com