Doric Aeternum

Sean Scully began his ‘Doric’ series in 2008. The paintings are dedicated to Greece and its architecture. They are also a response to the financial crisis and the human values that have been lost amidst a culture of excess. Of the series, the artist has said: “The current work has been germinating for a very long time, but seems a propos at the moment because Greece is so underappreciated”. He added, “My work is a homage to Greece, but was also inspired by the battles fought against Cyrus and Xerxes, and the sacrifices that were made for all those values.” The series has been described as ‘an ode to what Greek antiquity gave to mankind, translated into abstract compositions.’ The term Doric refers to one of the three ‘orders’ of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture (the others being the Ionic and the Corinthian). The Doric is simple and stout in appearance. The Latin term ‘aeternum’ refers to that which is eternal, perpetual or constant.