Aran 2005

Sean Scully made this photograph, Aran, using traditional photographic materials to explore the relationship between land and architecture. Scully seems to have a fascination with surfaces; the texture of the stone, the way light plays across it, creating subtle tonal variations. Look closely and you can see how the stones are stacked, each one carefully placed to create a sense of stability. There’s a real physical presence here, a weight and solidity that grounds the image. The repetition of forms also draws your eye to individual marks or areas of particular interest. Just to the left of center there is a stone whose shadow seems to hold the whole composition in place, like a keystone in an arch. Aran shares an interest in geometric forms with the paintings of Agnes Martin, both artists using line and form to explore spatial relationships. These are humble materials, but the way Scully composes them elevates them to something monumental.