18/3 – 17/8 2025
Daegu Art Museum [DAM] | Daegu | South Korea
This exhibition serves as the first large-scale retrospective of Sean Scully in South Korea, offering a comprehensive look at the work of one of the most significant contemporary abstract painters. Known for his distinctive combination of rich colors and geometric forms, Scully’s work addresses themes of metaphor, spirituality, and humanism. Over his career, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of abstract painting, with notable contributions to both European and American art scenes.
Spanning several decades of his artistic journey, the exhibition features more than 70 works, providing an in-depth look at his development. It includes celebrated large-scale painting series such as Wall of Light and Landline, along with early figurative works, watercolors, pencil drawings, and digital prints. This diverse range of pieces highlights the breadth of Scully’s approach and the progression from his figurative beginnings to the fully abstract style for which he is known.
A key feature of the retrospective is the inclusion of two new large-scale sculptures. Daegu Stack, a monumental steel structure created specifically for this exhibition, will be placed in the museum’s outdoor space, while 38, a series of stacked, painted aluminum frames, will be displayed in Umi Hall, offering a further exploration of the artist’s engagement with form and structure.
Through this exhibition, viewers gain insight into the colors, forms, and conceptual layers that have defined Sean Scully’s contribution to contemporary abstract painting. His work continues to shape the field, reinforcing his legacy within the history of modern art.