Sean Scully's "Catherine" series, developed from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, is a deeply personal body of work dedicated to his second wife, Catherine Lee. This series is an exploration of Scully's distinctive stripe patterns, with each painting marked by its year, reflecting an annual tribute to their relationship and the evolving dynamics within it. The paintings vary in their visual language but share a commonality in their exploration of color, form, and emotional depth, making each piece both a standalone artwork and a part of a larger, interconnected narrative.
The series, which now resides in the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, encapsulates nearly two decades of Scully's artistic and personal journey. It showcases variations on Scully’s signature style, illustrating how his work evolved over nearly 20 years. The emotional and relational dimensions of the series are underscored by Scully’s use of color and form, where emotive colors interact, suggesting the complexities and nuances of human relationships. This exploration is particularly significant as it reflects Scully's broader interest in infusing abstract art with personal and metaphorical elements, moving beyond the purely formal to engage with the human experience.
Scully's approach to abstraction is also evident in the "Catherine" series. He believes in the power of abstract painting to create free thought and emotional flexibility, suggesting that abstraction can mirror the rhythmical structure of life itself. This philosophy underscores the series, where the abstract forms and compositions can be seen as reflections on the nature of relationships, time, and the human condition.
In essence, the "Catherine" series is not just a testament to Scully’s relationship with Lee but also a broader meditation on the nature of love, time, and the ability of abstract art to convey deep personal narratives. Through this series, Scully challenges the notion that abstraction is removed from the human experience, instead presenting it as a deeply effective medium for exploring and expressing the complexities of life and relationships (Wikipedia) (The Art Story) (DailyArt Magazine).