Aran 2005

Sean Scully made this photograph called *Aran*, and, well, isn't it just a beautiful image? I can feel the rough surface of the stone wall, can't you? The way the light catches the edges, it's like Scully is building something, one stone at a time. I wonder what he was thinking when he snapped this shot. Was he thinking about the weight of history, or just the simple pleasure of seeing? Those horizontal lines make me think of his paintings – those stacks of colour he’s so famous for. You know, when you look at a Scully painting, you're really seeing a record of movement, aren't you? He's always in conversation with the masters, like Rothko or Agnes Martin, building on their ideas, but always making it his own thing. And really, that's what art is all about – it’s an ongoing conversation, where everyone's chipping in.