OPENING NIGHT I SATURDAY 9TH OF MAY, 5PM TILL 7PM
VIEWING DATES I 9TH OF APRIL TILL THE 20h OF MAY 2026
THE EXHIBITION
BEHIND THE MOUNTAIN THE SUN SLEEPS takes its title from a phrase spoken by Sean Thomas Bell’s firstborn son. It evokes a quiet, transitional moment—when daylight recedes and the rituals of evening begin. On the drive home, Sean would ask, “Where has the sun gone?” and his son would reply, “Behind the mountain.” This simple exchange becomes a poetic framework for the exhibition, grounding it in the intimacy of family life and the passage of time.
The works in this exhibition are shaped by a period of profound personal shift. Balancing the demands of fatherhood with the continuities of an artistic practice, Bell reflects on the tension between presence and productivity. The two-year interval since his last exhibition speaks to this recalibration of time—where creative output is interwoven with the rhythms of domestic life. Many of the paintings draw their titles from recent memories and lived experiences within Bell’s growing family. These works function as quiet acts of preservation, tracing fleeting moments that
might otherwise dissolve into the everyday.
In parallel with these thematic developments, Bell has expanded his material approach. While rooted in acrylic painting, this body of work introduces new techniques and processes, extending the surface language of his practice and opening new avenues for expression.
THE ARTIST
Sean Thomas Bell (b. 1987), a self-taught Australian abstract painter, has worked with Australian councils to create large-scale public art murals to help with community engagement.
These murals can be seen within Newcastle, the Hunter Region, Sydney, and other parts of Australia, working with councils and business owners from small cafes to booming resorts.
A contemporary artist painting private commissions and his own works for exhibition, Bell draws on his 15-year experience as a graphic designer. This influence is where he gets his signature bold geographical shapes and minimal colour palette, creating a recognisable, iconic style in his art practice. Sean has juxtaposed organic forms with geometric abstraction in some pieces, while others have a mixed blend of abstract flora-based shapes sitting next to elements that have more of a man-made feel. Each give the other a well-balanced feeling, contrasting and complimenting at the same time