Pastels
Most often it is better to look at a body of work, and I had that fortunate opportunity to see Sean Scully’s 2006 Wall of Light Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What astounded me was the substantiality of his artwork. Not only because each painting was large, which it was, or because these paintings were so bold, which they were, but because each piece felt solid in its attention, intention and execution. There was lots of nuance, lots of variety, tenderness and wit but no timidity, no holding back within the massive rectangles. Not only was each rectangle alive, but also the spaces between rectangles were alive and vibrating with rhythm and personality. These narrow spaces revealed subtle nuance of texture, color and gesture.
In all, I felt Mr. Scully’s greatness as if his building and sculpting of each artwork was happening in real time. This is what much of contemporary art misunderstands. Yes the artist wants the viewer to participate (complete the process?) but too often contemporary art gets the viewer to participate in concept only and not in the gut. I was participating with Scully because he gave me a scaffold and showed me his vision and heart. At the same time, I brought my experience, vision and heart to his painting. We met there and I was in awe because I recognized something in me was in him. However, he did not do this intellectually or timidly.
No jpg can aptly describe this living body inside or outside these walls of rectangles, but because Scully is a master, he offers up just enough source to make me want to search every inch of his bold canvas, taking nothing for granted.
After being with Mr. Scully’s artwork, I came away bigger and bolder and more alive than ever before. This is what fine art can do. It can nourish your life.
