Artist Larry Bell Trades Artwork For Rent

In early issues of BarterNews we reported on artist Michael Whipple’s trading endeavors. Later on, we related how hotelier and art collector Arnold Ashkenazy had amassed a 20,000 piece collection, valued at $20 million, through the astute use of barter.

We now take a look at artist Larry Bell, who has returned to Los Angeles after 30 years in New Mexico, because he’s tired of the commute. Rather than buying a house, Bell has decided to make a hotel his home. His “rent” will be paid the old-fashioned way—with his works of art.

Bell, a 64-year-old artist, was a key player in the groundbreaking 1960s movement dubbed Finish Fetish or Light & Space. He was among the first to have the tag “L.A. Look” attached to his work.