147 TRAITORS
DAY 1
American multimedia artist Robin Bell rose to prominence during Donald Trump’s first presidency when he projected protest messages onto the Trump Hotel in Washington in 2017. In 2022, a year after Trump supporters attacked the United States Capitol, Bell recalled the 147 Republicans in the Senate and House of Representatives who had refused to confirm Joe Biden’s election victory. A van with a large LED screen parked in front of the Capitol listed the names of the politicians. On the day of the inauguration of Trump’s second presidency in 2025, Bell commented on the political situation with a façade projection in Washington. This intervention seems to be the prelude to a long series and shows that he will continue to fight back when democracy is in danger.
ROBIN BELL
Robin Bell is a Washington, DC-based multimedia artist, video journalist, and award-winning editor known for his politically charged and socially engaged work. As the founder of Bell Visuals, he creates live video collages, projections, and public art installations that merge activism with visual storytelling. His performances have been featured at major venues, including The Kennedy Center, The Phillips Collection, Central Park Summer Stage, and The Hollywood Bowl.
With a background in classical printmaking, Bell developed a distinctive approach to video art. He was the lead video editor for Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria on PBS and has taught video classes at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. His commitment to social change is evident in projects like Operation Ceasefire (2005), an anti-war concert on the National Mall, and his 2014 documentary Positive Force: More Than a Witness. His viral 2017 projection Emoluments Welcome on the Trump Hotel drew widespread media attention. Bell continues to create both ephemeral and permanent public artworks, directing the Directed Actions Live Film Series while using video, sound, and image to challenge power structures and inspire dialogue.
LINKS
FEATURED IMAGE
Robin Bell: 147 Traitors. Washington D.C. 2022. Photo: Robin Bell.
PROTESTS BY NIGHT: LIGHT FOR FREEDO
Documentations of Art Projects — curated by Thomas Schielke.
