Sean Scully is one of the most important non-representational artists of our time. His works are an intense expression of the deepest emotions as well as poetic and philosophical reflections on the human condition, loss and longing. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, the Bucerius Kunst Forum is dedicating a comprehensive retrospective to the artist, showing around 60 works from more than six decades of his oeuvre. 

The exhibition shows that non-representational art does not have to be unapproachable: Anecdotes and background information on the works make Scully's paintings tangible - and emotions and personal associations are awakened in us through them. His art tells stories and taps into memories and emotions: Together we encounter Scully's childhood memories, political experiences and travel impressions and experience that Scully's works are characterized by a deep melancholy, great joy as well as poetic and philosophical reflections.

The exhibition builds a bridge between the artist's works and texts. Wall texts and sound samples allow us a personal encounter with abstract painting. The exhibition shows Scully's iconic, large-format paintings together with discoveries and experiments since the 1960s. His works in which he applies several layers of oil paint so that the texture remains clearly visible are particularly well-known. These paintings stand out for their monumentality and chessboard-like patterns, in addition to the bold application of paint and coarse brushstrokes. In the exhibition, we experience a journey through the decades and can understand how Scully's artistic path changed as a result of personal strokes of fate, political developments and artistic trends.

Sean Scully, Man in Chair I, 1966-67, private collection © Sean Scully. Photo: courtesy the artist

Sean Scully, Man in Chair I, 1966-67, private collection © Sean Scully. Photo: courtesy the artist

The exhibition is complemented by three freely accessible sculptures that can be seen in and in front of the Bucerius Kunst Forum. The sculpture Air Cage 2 will be on display on the Alter Wall. It makes Scully's work visible in public space and invites visitors to linger and experience Hamburg's city center from a different perspective.

The outdoor sculpture is being implemented as a pilot project as part of the Hamburg program "Hidden Potentials - Community Development of Diversity of Use for a Vibrant and Resilient Inner City". Funded by the "Sustainable inner cities and centers" program of the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building.
June 27 to November 2, 2025

www.buceriuskunstforum.de