Sean Scully is a distinguished artist whose career has spanned over five decades, marked by a profound commitment to abstraction and a unique ability to imbue his geometric compositions with deep emotional resonance. Born on June 30, 1945, in Dublin, Ireland, Scully's family relocated to London in 1949, where he was raised in a working-class neighborhood. The challenges of his early life, including the experience of poverty and the tumultuous relationship of his parents, would later inform the emotional depth and intensity found in his work. From a young age, Scully was determined to become an artist. His initial exposure to art came through the Catholic Church, where he was struck by the geometric nature of the Stations of the Cross and a reproduction of Picasso's "Child with a Dove," which he encountered during mass. These early experiences with art offered him a sense of escape and a vision of a world beyond his immediate circumstances. By the age of 9, Scully had already decided on his future path as an artist. Leaving school at 15, Scully took on various jobs to support himself, including working as a messenger, a trainee photograph re-toucher, a letterpress typographer, a plasterer, and a crane operator. During this period, he also became involved with a street gang, engaging in brawling and burglary. Despite these challenges, Scully maintained a belief in the possibility of a better life, a conviction that would eventually lead him to pursue his passion for art more seriously. At 17, Scully began attending night school, gaining qualifications through an educational program called Floodlight. He also took evening classes at the Central School of Art in London, where he developed an interest in figurative painting. His encounter with Vincent van Gogh's "Chair" at the Tate Gallery in London was a pivotal moment, inspiring him to embrace the honesty and accessibility of art. In 1965, the same year his first wife gave birth to their son, Paul, Scully began a three-year course at Croydon College of Art in London. His son's tragic death in a car accident at the age of 18 would later become a significant emotional touchstone in Scully's life and work. After Croydon, Scully continued his studies at Newcastle University, where he was influenced by the works of Henri Matisse and other modern masters. Scully's early work was characterized by figurative elements, but by the mid-1960s, he had shifted towards abstraction. His move from London to New York in 1975 marked a significant transition in his career, as he played a key role in the movement from Minimalism to Emotional abstraction. In New York, Scully encountered the vibrant art scene and was exposed to the works of Abstract Expressionists, which further shaped his approach to painting. Throughout his career, Scully has been recognized for his abstract paintings composed of brushy layers of alternating colored squares or stripes. His work is known for its architectural constructions and emotionally-charged canvases, often structured around stripes or layered blocks of color arranged on horizontal and vertical axes. The layers in his paintings achieve a balance between calm reflection and intrinsic vitality, with a focus on the physicality of the materials he employs. Scully's art is not confined to painting alone; he has also worked as a printmaker, sculptor, and photographer. His sculptures, in particular, have become an increasingly significant part of his oeuvre, with monumental structures that engage with the energy and history of their locations. His work is held in museum collections worldwide, and he has been nominated twice for the prestigious Turner Prize. Scully's influence extends beyond his visual art; he has been a lecturer and professor at several universities, and his writings and teachings are collected in the book "Inner: The Collected Writings and Selected Interviews of Sean Scully." His commitment to art as a vehicle for humanity's betterment is evident in his rigorous compositions, which are infused with expressive, emotional fluctuations. Throughout his career, Scully has received numerous awards and honors, including being named a member of Aosdána and the Royal Academy of Arts. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from institutions such as the Massachusetts College of Art, the National University of Ireland, and Newcastle University. Scully's work has been the subject of numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world, reflecting his status as one of the leading artists of his generation. His impactful and internationally recognizable paintings balance dynamic bands of color in rhythmic formulations, capturing tonality, light, and mood with great drama and delicacy. His global but deeply personal perspective has seen him absorb the core elements of the visual world, from the sky and sea to the ascetic modesty of stone architectural structures, as well as the full spectrum of human pathos, from grief and pain to fatherhood. Today, Sean Scully continues to live and work between New York and Bavaria, maintaining a prolific and influential presence in the world of contemporary art. His dedication to the expressive power of painting and his tireless exploration of abstraction ensure that his work continues to stir the spirit and resonate with audiences long after they encounter it.

Sean Scully Quotes and Sales of Works

Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current market values.

If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the artist, contact us immediately.

If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the works:

Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back, and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work and any kind of available documentation (purchase receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme professionalism.

If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us and let us know your request. We will inform you about the available works. We also offer the possibility to subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, through which you will be informed at the beginning of each month about the latest acquisitions of the art gallery.

You can send us pictures of the work:

• by mail –>  [email protected]
• by WhatsApp –> +39 3205747749