A review of Sean Scully’s paintings – ‘Uninsideout’ exhibition, BlainSouthern London until 17th November
In a career spanning 6 decades, Sean Scully in 2018 has 10 solo shows around the world, including an exhibition of sculpture at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park until 6 January 2019. During this review of Sean Scully’s paintings at ‘Uninsideout’ exhibition at BlainSouthern in London, I want to discuss Scully’s approach to the use form and colour and the intensity in his work.
The Irish born abstract painter Sean Scully grow up in London. He later moved to New York where he established a studio. Sean’s work explores a grid structure as a way to interpret the urban and natural landscape.

Sean Scully, Uninsideout, 2018, Installation view, ©Sean Scully, Courtesy of the artist and BlainSouthern, Photo Peter Mallet
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Sean Scully, Uninsideout, 2018, Installation view, ©Sean Scully, Courtesy of the artist and BlainSouthern, Photo Peter Mallet
Sean Scully explaining his work, “I am paraphrasing nature, I am making the grid which is an intellectual framework, that we have invented, in order to order our cities. I fill it up with information that is already in the world. From the sky, the trees, the rivers and so on, all those sensual forms of information are gathered into the work to inform it, to enrich it, to bring it into the human spirit.”
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Sean Scully, Landline Near Blue, 2018, ©Sean Scully Courtesy of the artist and BlainSouthern, Photo Peter Mallet
Sean Scully has a sensitivity to colour. His palette is inspired by the colours of nature and space around him. They are always finely calibrated colours, consistently hushed and sombre tones echoing the landscape. There is always a sense of the material in the work.
In the painting ‘What Makes Us Too’ (2017) he uses a brighter palette of colours. This work inspires thoughts of the exuberance and rhythm of contemporary urban life, including sexuality, lipstick and power. This series of work, as a result, is more decorative than his usual work.
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SeanScullyStudio.com

Sean Scully art, Landline Near Blue, 2018, ©Sean Scully Courtesy of the artist and BlainSouthern, Photo Peter Mallet
I really enjoyed seeing the varied body of work in this exhibition at BlainSouthern. Through focusing on the surface, Scully is able to reduce the decisions he has to make. This way of painting leaves space to focus on the two crucial aspects of his painting practice. The first is the intensity of the art. Through having many of the decisions worked out in advance, Scully can concentrate on the distinct characterises. The precise meaning is brought into existence by amplifying how powerful and intense the painting is.
The other important aspect of Sean Scully’s paintings is about how two things come together through visual intelligence. As Scully explains, “This really is the human problem how we come together. How do the things in the world come together.” As Sean Scully says, “Abstract art really is like music without words.” Scully’s paintings allude and invoke the way we experience the landscape as a mental state rather than a conscious effort.

Sean Scully paintings, What Makes Us, 2017. ©Sean Scully art Courtesy of the artist and BlainSouthern, Photo Peter Mallet
Stuart Bush Studio Notes – Sean Scully art
“The biggest mistake as an art student, is to try to learn from an artist example. If you like Philip Guston, you can not learn from how a hand holds a cigarette, the motive from him. You have to learn to step one step further back. To understand the method without figures. How they do it before they do it.” Quote by Tal R. Playing around with gouache paint on paper in the studio #stuart.bush #gouachepainting #lineartwork
I’m longing for change. Are you? Giclèe framed print. #changeyourmindchangeyourlife #stuart.bush #artforsalebyartist
Congratulations to Jenny Saville from London for winning my June print giveaway. The print ‘Just a feeling and not just the truth’ looks great at the bottom of your stairs, on your hall wall.
It was nice to meet you, talk, and chat by delivering the framed print in person. I hope your husbands gets better soon. Best wishes.
It is easy to feel helpless, like we are in the flow of the river. And we are looking for something to grab hold of. To pull ourselves out. This is where I think art can make a difference.
Connecting us with our sense. I hope my print can help to do that. I’m into beauty, but not pretty pictures. I want to make something that rattles you and makes you think. Art on your wall, and this print in particular, can help you to reflect on the moment, and the past and of course the present.
When you look at it once, it hasn’t sunk yet. It takes repeated viewing. When you live with an artwork in your walls and you see it everyday, the artwork slowly reveals itself. #printgiveaway #artprints #framedartwork
I don't know what it is but I am sure it is highlighting some kind of truth. ‘Great Souled Way’ #oilpaintingoncanvas #figurepainting #abstractpainting #londonart
“Free and alone in the maze of the city, the flâneur craves a revelation that might change his life and destiny.” Quote by
Federico Castigliano #flaneur #inthecity #figurepainting painting by #stuartbush
Not sure where I am going with this one. Today mistakes. Work in progress #workinprogress #todaymistakes #oilonaluminum
@stuart.bush New painting, please help with suggestions for a title. Or please DM me if you have any questions about it #oiloncanvas #figureinthecity #inthestudiotoday
Reed Hoffman said “if you're not embarrassed by the first project you launch you're too late” I feel awkward and uncomfortable showing these new artworks for the first time. It is still #workinprogress
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