Sean Scully's "Wall of Light" series represents one of the most significant developments in his artistic journey, illustrating his mastery of color, light, and abstraction. This series, which Scully continues to expand upon, stems from an initial inspiration during his travels to Mexico in the early 1980s. Captivated by the play of light and shadow on the ancient Mayan stone walls, Scully began to explore the theme of light as both a physical phenomenon and a metaphorical concept reflecting the passage of time (The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth).
The series is known for its complex interplay of rectangular forms, reminiscent of bricks or blocks, arranged in both horizontal and vertical formats. These compositions are characterized by Scully's signature broad brushstrokes and a rich palette of luminous colors, built up in layers to create depth and intensity. The result is a body of work that transcends pure abstraction, invoking emotional and narrative themes through its structural and chromatic choices (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
"Wall of Light" includes oil paintings, watercolors, pastels, and aquatints, marking a crucial phase in Scully's career where he revisited and expanded upon the visual language developed in his earlier watercolors of Mexico. The series reflects Scully's long-standing interest in the tactile quality of paint and surface, as well as his exploration of architectural forms and the essence of light as a source of spiritual and emotional illumination (The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
Scully's work in this series is informed by his extensive travels and deep engagement with diverse cultures and their artistic heritage, particularly the Mayan civilization's architectural legacy. His reflections on the distinct qualities of light in Mexico, contrasted with the "fleeting, brooding" light of his childhood in London, have profoundly influenced the aesthetic and conceptual direction of the "Wall of Light" series (The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art).
This series, which now comprises more than 200 works, showcases Scully's unique ability to blend the formal traditions of European painting with the abstract expressionism rooted in American art, creating a powerful narrative of abstraction's emotional and storytelling potential (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). The "Wall of Light" series not only underscores Scully's place as a pivotal figure in contemporary art but also demonstrates his continued commitment to exploring the boundless possibilities of abstraction to convey the complexity of human experience and the natural world.