Conversation 1986

Sean Scully made this painting, simply titled Conversation, with oil paint applied in strokes onto aluminum panels. Look closely. What might appear at first glance as simple blocks of color reveals a complex material presence. Scully’s surfaces are alive with texture. The panels' inherent qualities of surface, color, and form are heightened by the layering of paint, in earthy tones that evoke landscapes or weathered surfaces. It's as if each panel carries its own history. This history is of course built from the labor of the artist, but we can also imagine other histories, of surfaces worn by time. Although Scully is celebrated as a fine artist, his art is far from the heroic gesture. The amount of work involved in his production is clear, and this connects him to traditions of craft. By emphasizing the labor and materiality of his art, Scully challenges the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.