Sean Scully: The Shape of Ideas

In a sustained exploration of the possibilities of abstraction, Sean  Scully (b. 1945) has created a rich body of work throughout his 50-year  career. Sean Scully: The Shape of Ideas sets his entire output  within a detailed biographical framework, closely examining the  relationship between the artist’s paintings and his lesser-known  drawings, pastels, watercolors, and prints—areas of Scully’s production  that are rarely considered together. At the heart of the book is an  investigation of the development and reception of Scully’s work based on  historical and contemporary reviews as well as extensive interviews  with the artist. Featured contributions include a preface by Marla  Price, author of Scully’s multi-volume catalogue raisonné, and an essay  by the poet and art critic Kelly Grovier on the unique contribution  Scully has made to the history of abstraction. Published to coincide  with the artist’s touring retrospective exhibition, this publication  presents sumptuous illustrations and detailed accounts of his most  significant bodies of work, offering new insight into his practice. It  is an indispensable resource to understanding Scully’s wide-ranging  oeuvre and his influential place in contemporary art history. 

About the Authors:

Timothy Rub is the George D. Widener Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Amanda Sroka is assistant curator of contemporary art, both at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.