Sean Scully

Sean Scully

Author: Russell Tovey and Robert Diament July 11, 2025 Duration: 1:15:59

We meet iconic painter Sean Scully on the eve of his 80th birthday at his studio in North London.


Over the course of his 50-year career, Sean Scully has created an influential body of work that has marked the development of contemporary abstraction. Fusing the traditions of European painting with the distinct character of American abstraction, his work combines painterly drama with great visual delicacy. Often structured around stripes or layered blocks of colour arranged on horizontal and vertical axes, the layers in his paintings attain a fine balance between calm reflection and an intrinsic vitality. 


A forceful, physical artist, Scully creates intentionally compelling spaces, and his art is defined by acute concentration and care, involving constant negotiation between the monumental and the intimate. While giving primary importance to the physicality of the materials he employs, his art is commanded by the idea of humanity’s betterment, and at the heart of each rigorously composed work lies a near-infinite number of expressive, emotional fluctuations.


During a trip to Morocco in 1969, Scully was strongly influenced by the rich colours of the region, which he translated into the broad horizontal stripes and deep earth tones that characterise his mature style. Following fellowships in 1972 and 1975 at Harvard University, he permanently relocated to New York. In the early 1980s, he made the first of several influential trips to Mexico, where he used watercolour for the first time in works inspired by the patterns of light and shadows he saw on the stacked stones of ancient walls. The experience had a decisive effect on him and prompted his decision to move from Minimalism to a more emotional and humanistic form of abstraction.


Follow @SeanScullyStudio


‘Sean Scully: Stories' at Bucerius Kunst Forum @BuceriusKunstForum, Hamburg, Germany is now open and runs until 30th November 2025.


Thanks to Faye at Sean’s studio in Tappan, NY and to all of his galleries: @KerlinGallery @ThaddaeusRopac @Lisson_Gallery


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


You’re invited into a series of conversations that feel more like hanging out in a gallery after hours than a formal interview. Talk Art brings together actor Russell Tovey and gallerist Robert Diament, whose shared passion and genuine curiosity create a uniquely accessible doorway into the art world. Each episode unfolds as a relaxed yet insightful chat, pulling back the curtain on creative processes and personal stories. They speak with a wide range of voices-from celebrated artists and influential curators to their own talented friends from fields like music, acting, and journalism-all of whom bring a fresh perspective on why art matters. Tuning into this podcast feels like discovering the stories behind the work, the human connections that fuel creativity, and the simple joy of looking at something familiar in a completely new way. It’s less about art theory and more about the lived experience of art, capturing those moments of wonder that remind us how visual culture shapes and reflects our lives. For a visual companion to the discussions, their Instagram is the perfect place to see the artworks that come up in conversation.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Talk Art
Podcast Episodes
Nicolas Deshayes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:13
Talk Art Season 27 continues with sculptor Nicolas Deshayes whose works explore the form and materiality of bodies and what happens below their surfaces. Hosted by Robert Diament.Process, or processing, is the impetus fo…
Catherine Chinatree [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:55
Catherine Chinatree is a socially engaged multi-disciplinary artist based in Margate. She works in various contexts, including in the public realm. Her work focuses on the idea of shared “reality,” with an emphasis on id…
Georg Wilson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:24
Talk Art season 27 continues with British painter GEORG WILSON!!! Hosted by Robert Diament.A spirit of place informs #GeorgWilson’s practice. Drawing inspiration from ancient English folklore, poetry and painting, the ar…
Holly Blakey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:47
Season 27 begins! This new season is hosted by Robert Diament.Robert meets Holly Blakey, one of the foremost choreographers of her generation and one of the few female choreographers in the UK creating large-scale work.H…
Alison Goldfrapp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:49
It’s the Talk Art Christmas special! We meet Alison Goldfrapp, the creative force behind some of the most captivating music of the past two and a half decades!!! We celebrate Alison’s new reinterpretation of David Bowie’…
Barbara Dawson (Francis Bacon Studio at Hugh Lane Gallery) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:29
Russell & Robert meet Barbara Dawson for a behind the scenes visit to Francis Bacon’s Studio, installed in Dublin’s iconic Hugh Lane Gallery. The gallery is currently closed to the public for major renovations so we thou…
Isabel Nolan (Live at Dublin Gallery Weekend) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:25
We are delighted to announce the first ever Irish episode of Russell Tovey and Robert Diament’s acclaimed Talk Art podcast, recorded live at the National Gallery of Ireland Lecture Theatre on Saturday November 8th for Du…
Marco Falcioni (BOSS & Art Basel Awards) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:20
This episode is a special partnership with BOSS. Special episode recorded during Miami Basel week, December 2025. #ADRussell & Robert catch up with Marco Falcioni, Creative Director of HUGO BOSS. We discuss the Art Basel…
Kate Bryan & David Shrigley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:02
We meet curator Kate Bryan and artist David Shrigley to explore their new book How To Art. Recorded live in London, in front of a sold out audience.What is art, where do I find it, and once I’m in front of it, what am I…
Louisa Buck (Cork Street Galleries special episode) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:54
#AD - Cork Street Galleries special episode!We meet art critic Louisa Buck to explore 100 years of Cork Street!Cork Street Galleries this year celebrates its centenary as a pioneering force in the art world, with 2025 ma…