Co-founders Andrea Behnsen and Marcii Magson
Bellhaus Atelier & Galerie
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estled in a corner between a historic theatre, book shop and local watering hole is the new creative kid on the Grüner Kranz block. Bellhaus Atelier & Galerie opened their antique wooden doors in central Windhoek on 10 March and comes as a breath of fresh air for lovers of the arts, artisans and those forever yearning for a creative space to bolster a sense of aesthetics. The opening exhibition titled The Marks We Leave Behind is set on a stage of soft downlights, exposed concrete floors and a lofty ceiling all framed by the original wooden beams of the home it once was. The late Namibian landscape artist Herbert Diener lived and created in the building, which has since been transformed with the help of his son (the current owner and landlord) to house what can only be described as a delightful departure from the stiff gallery spaces we’re used to. Bellhaus combines the old-world charm of the 1906 architecture with nods to the minimalist Bauhaus movement. Form frankly follows function at the atelier of Marcii Magson and Andrea Behnsen. Together they conceptualised a space that functions as more than simply a gallery. It lends itself to long-table dinner parties, film screenings, engaging art classes and yoga in the gallery. With these projects to look forward to in the coming months and many more beyond, Bellhaus is breaking the rules and creating new ones for what to expect from the local art scene.
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Marcii Magson needs little introduction to friends of Namibian arts. With over 20 years’ experience in photography, retail, fashion and interior architecture to name a few, Marcii’s touch is tangible in the ambience of Bellhaus. Foremost a visual artist, the opening exhibition features a collection of Marcii’s abstract work, namely a particular piece titled Me and Michael, which saw the artist plaster dark paint over a backdrop of gause. The marks left behind from a troubling experience sought to be covered and recovered through the process of layering wound dressing and an ominous hue. Marcii’s body of work places emphasis on the process and act of creation, the materials with which the artist engages and their conceptual uses and forms. Rather than staying within the boundaries of stylised compositional narrative, Marcii’s contribution to The Marks We Leave Behind is inspired by the imprint that objects and materials otherwise overlooked contribute to the process of making and are shaped and transformed by memories. Bellhaus draws its name not only from its ideal location on Bell Street, but also due to its synergistic ring to Bauhaus, the movement that is arguably the most influential in the history of art and design. It’s not just in the name, however. Bauhaus established the birth of combining crafts and fine art around 1920. The two had previously been separated by a hierarchy in which fine art and sculpture assumed an exclusive position and practical crafts sat at the bottom of the chain. Bellhaus aims to reunite them in the Namibian
