Public Comission
Major new work by Sean Scully in Hanover Square, London
29 March 2023
Hanover Square, London
Marking the re-opening of one of the oldest civic spaces in London
Landline, a major new work by internationally acclaimed artist Sean Scully RA, will be unveiled on 18 April 2023 to mark the formal reopening of Hanover Square, one of the oldest and most important civic spaces in London, following a transformational redevelopment. The work will be the artist's first permanently installed sculpture in London.
The sculpture brings together layers of colored marble into a single compressed tower that reflects the deep layers and sediments of history and lived experiences of the diverse people that Hanover Square and London's West End represents. The selected marbles translate the layered landscape of Hanover Square itself, the new gardens and surrounding buildings - the grey, sand and ochre of the footways and buildings, and the greens and blue- greens of the trees. Compressed together they create a chord that reflects the musical history of the area - the Hanover Music Rooms and Handel's connections with Brook Street and St George's Church.
Over the course of his 50-year career, Sean Scully has created an influential body of work that has changed the development of contemporary abstraction. 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.
Clir Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, said: "Millions of visitors, as well as our own residents, enjoy the many open spaces that make Westminster the unique place it is. Hanover Square, one of London's first formal squares, is a gem in the heart of the City and the overhaul and reinvention of this location makes it sparkle even more brightly. The impressive artwork by Sean Scully will prove just one more reason why people want to spend time here.
Dee Corsi, Chief Executive, New West End Company, commented: "The unveiling of Sean Scully's sculpture today marks the completion of the transformation of Hanover Square.
