On the Line: Conversations with Sean Scully

This book provides a unique insight into the life and art of Sean Scully, an internationally celebrated artist and creative practitioner at the height of his powers. It includes revealing conversations with Scully's friend, the art critic Kelly Grovier, and explores his journey from homelessness in Dublin to prominence in New York. The book reflects Scully's broad interests and opinions, with segments devoted to his attitudes towards the art world, his most significant works, culture, politics, and philosophy. It is illustrated throughout with images that capture both the artist and his work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2021
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Sean Scully, an internationally celebrated artist and creative practitioner at the height of his powers, is explored in a unique and insightful way in this captivating book. While his paintings of brushy stripes and blocks of sumptuous color are widely acclaimed and admired, his lesser-known talent as a gifted storyteller and profound commentator on the history of art is equally remarkable. The record of countless hours of conversations with Scully's friend, the art critic Kelly Grovier, provides a deep insight into the artist's extraordinary journey, from his humble beginnings on the streets of Dublin in the mid-1940s to his current position as one of the most important abstract artists working today.

In these revealing conversations, Scully recalls with poignancy and wit his rough-and-tumble childhood in London, his tenacity in the face of rejection from nearly every art school in England, and his rise to prominence in New York in the 1980s. The book is illustrated throughout with images that capture both the artist and his work, providing a visual representation of his artistic journey.

One of the key themes explored in the book is Scully's relationship with past masters, from Rembrandt to Rothko. Scully delves deep into his admiration for these artists and their influence on his work, but also discusses his eventual rejection of minimalism, which was the dominant force in abstract art at the time. The book is punctuated throughout by passionately recounted stories of struggle and loss, perseverance and triumph, which give a deeper understanding of the artist's character and his creative process.

The portrait that emerges from these pages is at once intimate and surprising. Scully communicates with a raw pugnacity that is every bit as hard-hitting as his big brushstrokes. The book reflects the scope of Scully's broad interests and opinions, with segments devoted not only to his attitudes towards the art world and his most significant works, but also culture, politics, and philosophy. Scully's insights and perspectives are thought-provoking and challenging, and his ability to convey his ideas with clarity and conviction is impressive.

With 146 illustrations in color and black and white, the book provides a visual feast for art enthusiasts and provides a deeper understanding of the artist's creative process. Overall, "Sean Scully: A Life in Art" is a must-read for anyone interested in the art world and the life of a truly remarkable artist.

Weight: 740g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780500094310