Aran 2005

Curator: Sean Scully's photography, particularly a piece like Aran from 2005, reveals his continued interest in form, materiality and geometry outside of his painting practice. It is photography. Editor: There's something about this monochrome image that draws me right in. The textures of the stone, stacked with such a rough geometry, make me feel a sense of timelessness. I almost smell the sea air looking at it. Curator: Exactly, this relates to a lot of the key social functions behind landscape and landscape photography, reflecting and shaping perceptions of place. The dry stone walls are representative of the west of Ireland. This form of architecture demonstrates skilled labor practices from this period in history. Editor: You're right. I see how the image documents the work—the literal building blocks of a culture. But it's more than that for me. The layering reminds me of the strata of history itself. Look at the varied sizes and shapes and think how they were sourced, hewn and carried. It all creates a very grounded feeling, even monumental somehow. It brings up a sort of memory feeling that I can’t really connect with. Curator: That layering, the hand-laid construction... Scully’s choice to represent it photographically allows us to examine it both as a structure built of natural materials and an artefact deeply rooted in human toil. Editor: It is wild to think that an apparently basic medium like monochrome photography can represent such diverse ideas. Perhaps it helps give you the bare bones of the image, allowing your subconscious mind to fill in the rest of the information? Curator: Yes and furthermore that dry stone wall could signify ownership, labour, value, connection, division. There is so much to extract. Editor: It’s almost like looking at an abstract sculpture and wondering if a child made it and its profound connection to life! Curator: This form challenges boundaries in art as Sean Scully would primarily identify as a painter. He used many materials during his career, it can blur lines. Editor: Yes, in this medium, as you mentioned, there is certainly more that meets the eye, it asks questions beyond the literal form of a dry stone wall. Curator: Precisely. It demonstrates process and challenges preconceived values around artistic disciplines. Editor: A stone upon stone of perspectives, just waiting to be climbed!