Humans of 2088: Newtown Artist Nathan Bell

Through visual art, writing and music, Newcastle artist Nathan Bell creates psychedelic worlds, surreal stories and politically charged music, drawing on his vast imagination and unique perspective.

Meet Newtown Artist Nathan Bell

Born in Wollongong and raised in Maitland and Newcastle, Nathan Bell is a multidisciplinary Australian artist whose creative work spans visual art, writing, music and video. Bell draws heavily on his lived experiences, imagination and observations of the world around him. His work explores strange worlds, altered states of mind, politics, social justice and the supernatural.

Although Bell lives in Newcastle, he has developed a strong connection with Sydney, particularly Newtown. Over the past few years, he has regularly travelled from Newcastle to Newtown to promote his creative work, busking, selling his books at Newtown Station, making videos about his trips and hoping to connect with local shops and the wider community.

We spoke with Bell about his artistic journey, his books, his creative influences and what makes Newtown such a special place for him.

How would you describe your artistic style?

My visual art is alien and psychedelic, depicting strange worlds and other dimensions. My music is aggressive political rock and Hip Hop, with songs about war, politics and social justice.

The stories I write are abstract and surreal, depicting psychosis and other altered states of mind. I deal with the supernatural, recounting my experiences talking to spirits and having visions of the future. These are experiences I associate with my schizophrenia.

How did your passion for art first develop?

I fell in love with images and stories while reading comic books as a child. At the time, I dreamt of starting a cartoon company. Around the same time, I was exposed to Tolkien and fell for fantasy. I always loved building worlds.

In my teens, I progressed into music, developing a taste for heavy riffs and poetic rhymes. I wanted to change the world with music.

How have you developed as an artist?

I started taking art seriously in my early twenties when I recorded two Hip Hop albums over five years. The band was called Hadron C, and we produced numerous music clips and played gigs.

My songs were radical, with my anti-war music videos predicting a nuclear apocalypse.

After that, I moved into more video work, compiling an archive of interviews with street performers and clubbers in Newcastle. The next step was writing books, which is where I’m at now.

I have published nine books so far and sold over four thousand units. I am also venturing into professional visual art, with my first exhibition coming up this year at Scrubba/Assembly Space in Newcastle.

What has been the highlight of your artistic career?

Definitely the publication of my nine books and the overwhelmingly positive response I have received from Australian readers.

Writing is my main focus now, and I intend on releasing many more titles. People have told me they love my stories, and that makes me a happy man. I want to see my books turned into films shot in Australia. This is my plan to contribute to the Australian arts scene.

What do you love about Newtown?

Art, food, culture – all the things I enjoy in one place.

When we come to Newtown, I like to get a coffee and a brekky wrap from the Newtown café. The staff are friendly and the food is quality.

Like all the areas I visit, I want to build a bond with Newtown. My mission is to promote art and culture around the world, and I am bringing my art revolution to Sydney.

I want to connect with the community and grow a grassroots cultural upheaval in the area.

For Bell, Newtown represents many of the things that inspire his creative practice: independent culture, art, music and people coming together.

As he continues to write, make music, create visual art and build connections with audiences, Bell hopes his work will take him far beyond Newcastle – while continuing to bring his unique creative world to places like Newtown.

Follow Nathan Bell journey online: @newcastleartresistance