Sean Sullivan

Eighty-Sixed explores images of a former state hospital, an old school barber shop and a number of private residences in various stages of decay at night. These and other forgotten places represent a loss of identity, family and time. I’ve always been curious by how these properties came to be viewed as an eyesore, cast off by society. If you take the time to stop and view the buildings you see an image from a bygone era.

Photographing at night highlights the quietness and lack of humanity in the buildings. By using an artificial light source to light paint my subjects I am creating the light which transforms the scene revealing the colors and details that lurk in the shadows. The colorful textures reflect the depth and history of each place. I’ve included a background history of each property. 

– Sean K. Sullivan 2022

Artist Bio

Sean K. Sullivan is a Boston-based Fine Art Photographer that focuses on creating strong graphic images with a focus on color, details and strong lines that draws the viewer in.

Sean’s newest series, Eighty-Sixed, explores abandoned structures in various stages of decay at night. These forgotten places represent a loss of identity, family and time. Past series, Classic Style, captures the details and lines of classic automobiles.

In 2017, Sean was selected for the Critical Mass Top 200 and in 2014 was featured as an Emerging Artist by Panopticon Gallery. Sean has been exhibited nationally, most recently at the Griffin Museum of Photography, Danforth Art Museum, Curated Fridge, Darkroom Gallery, Panopticon Gallery, Plymouth Center for the Arts and Morse Institute Library. 

Sean holds a Bachelor of Science from Northeastern University where he majored in Graphic Design and Minored in Photography. He studied with Neal Rantoul and Tom Petit.