Sean Scully at Houghton Hall, Norfolk, United Kingdom

Smaller Than The Sky, 23 Apr - 29 Oct 2023

This major exhibition spans the full range of Sean Scully's practice. An expansive presentation of his outdoor sculptures will be on the grounds of Houghton Hall, in which he explores the same leitmotifs as in painting.

He experiments with scale and material, from small maquettes to monumental open structures in steel to 'Stacks' made of sandstone, wood, glass and marble. Houghton Hall's historic interiors will host a significant group of paintings and works on paper.

England, as we’ve seen from the fabulous paintings by Constable, is a country very informed by sky. People talk about the sky all the time. They talk about the weather, or the clouds, the wet. So, it’s a source of inspiration. When you put sculptures outside, you are aware that the sky is illuminating them, and conditioning how they look. Whatever you put out there is always humbled by the bigness of the sky

- Sean Scully

The title 'Smaller Than The Sky' reflects Scully's concern for the environment and his attention to nature, as featured in the book 'Endangered Sky' (2023). This collaboration between the artist and poet Kelly Grovier focuses on the plight of bird life. The publication commemorates species already extinct and those close to it, and it will be launched at Houghton Hall. The exhibition is curated by art historian and museum director Sean Rainbird.

On the occasion of this exhibition, a permanent installation by the artist will be unveiled in Hanover Square, in London, on 18 April. Landline 'London 2022' is made of polished marble in different colours. The tower reflects the stratified sediments of history as well as the diverse lived experiences and people that the city represents.

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