Viewing Sean Scully: Smaller Than The Sky

The majestic Houghton Hall in Norfolk unveils the hotly anticipated exhibition by the renowned artist Sean Scully, ‘Smaller Than The Sky,” curated by the senior curator at Tate and former director of the National Gallery of Ireland, Sean Rainbird. Taking over the grounds of Houghton Hall, Scully presents a remarkable selection of sculptures in diverse materials and sizes, including some brand-new works. Continuing into the grand rooms of the house and in the contemporary gallery, the exhibition also showcases a range of Scully’s paintings and works on paper from earlier in his career.

As an artist, Scully’s sensitivity towards the environment and nature is reflected in the exhibit’s title, which alludes to his book, “Endangered Sky,” a collaboration with poet Kelly Grovier that emphasises the threat to bird life. The book will be unveiled at Houghton and exhibited in vitrines as part of the exhibit, adding a distinctive literary element. Scully is renowned for his exceptional form of abstraction that he initiated in the early 1970s, expanding to include watercolours, drawings, pastels, prints, and photography. The artist’s coloured bars and horizontal beams, some with inset or relief elements, have achieved international recognition. At the same time, his critically acclaimed sculptures over the past two decades have elevated his stature even further.