Sean Scully RHA

Sean Scully was born in Dublin in 1945, raised in London and then moved to America to live and work. His diverse upbringing would heavily impact upon his work. He is known for abstract compositions which feature his trademark stripes and checks, claimed to be influenced by the landscapes of his three ‘home countries’. He describes his fascination with the abstract as linked to his desire to be a global rather than a local artist, with colours and shapes being more relatable internationally than figurative works. He studied at Croydon College of Art, Newcastle University, where he would later teach, and received a graduate fellowship at Harvard before settling in New York at his studio there.
Scully has gained notability in China where he became the first Western artist to hold a career length retrospective, showing over 100 paintings and a large sculpture. He also acted as mentor to controversial abstract artist Ai Weiwei, claiming to have directed him from a failing career in painting to his current style.
A two time nominee of the Turner Prize (1989 & 1993), he has exhibited widely including at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the National Gallery of Australia, the Tate Gallery in London and the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, among many others.