Sean Scully at Houghton Hall 'I chose this exhibition title because I want to emphasise the greatness of nature, as well as the importance of sky and land'

Sean Scully is one of the most revered artists in the world today. Born in Dublin, the 77-year-old has an artistic career spanning over 50 years, creating breath-taking paintings and sculptures. Scully has been nominated for the Turner Prize twice, and his works have been collected by top art galleries and art institutions around the world.

Recently, one of the artist's most important exhibitions to date, "Smaller under the Sky", opened at Houghton Hall in England. The Hall was built in the 1720s and is one of England’s foremost examples of Palladian architecture. Sean Scully is the eighth artist to show at the house since 2015, alongside fellow heavyweights such as James Turrell, Henry Moore and Damien Hirst.

Scully’s works, including giant open steel sculptures and stacked sculptures made of materials such as sandstone, wood, glass and marble, contrast with the ancient buildings and surrounding gardens. On display indoors is a selection of the artist’s recent drawings and manuscripts on paper.

On the eve of the opening, a bright sunny day, a hale and hearty artist appeared in front of our camera. We chatted with him about this significant exhibition and his long art career.