Sixteen Candles 1992

Charles Bell made this painting of sixteen marbles sometime before 1995, and what strikes me is how much this is about pure seeing. The way these marbles are rendered is so meticulous, so sharply focused, it’s like Bell wanted to make us hyper-aware of the act of looking. You can almost feel the coolness of the glass and the play of light on each sphere. Look closely, and you'll see how the colors aren't just flat. There's a depth to them, a kind of shimmer that makes the painting almost vibrate. It’s like Bell is slowing down time, inviting us to really examine something simple and find the extraordinary within it. There’s something here that reminds me of the photorealism of Gerhard Richter, but without any hint of irony, a heartfelt ode to the world and its details. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always need to shout to be heard; sometimes, it whispers, inviting us into a quieter, more contemplative space.