Aran 2005

Sean Scully's photograph, Aran, captures a stone wall in monochrome tones, transforming a functional structure into a study of form and texture. The process here is one of selection, of finding art in the everyday. The rough, uneven surfaces of the stones are brought to life through light and shadow. Look closely, and you can see the physical weight of each block, their edges worn by time and weather. There's a beautiful tension in the way the stones are stacked, a balance between chaos and order. It reminds me of my own painting process: layering shapes and colors, building up a surface until it feels just right. Aran shares a visual language with the stark, minimalist photography of Bernd and Hilla Becher, where the subject matter is celebrated through documenting the variations within a typology. Ultimately, this photograph invites us to see the world with new eyes, to find beauty in unexpected places, and to appreciate the simple act of looking.