Daphne Wright: Deep-Rooted Things

This exhibition focuses on sculptures by Irish artist Daphne Wright and has been curated by Ashmolean director, Xa Sturgis.

Conceived in partnership with the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin, the exhibition will feature several new works which consider the tradition of still lifes and respond to the sculptures in our Cast Gallery.

Daphne Wright works in unfired clay and jesmonite and has long experimented with casting.

Central to the exhibition is Sons and Couch, a life-size sculptural artwork cast in jesmonite of the artist’s sons, made especially for this show. They have featured in their mother’s moving and personal work since an early age. This sculpture of them as young men was created with their agreement and collaboration.
Also on show is her Fridge Still Life, which has not been on public display previously, alongside other works by Wright and objects from the Ashmolean’s own collection.

Several works by the artist relate both to the domestic and the Museum itself, and in doing so continue the exploration of time, memory and identity.

Two key Ashmolean pieces that speak directly to Wright’s work are included in the exhibition: the fragments of a young Hercules defeating the Nemean Lion in plaster and Rachel Ruysch’s intricate painting, ‘A Forest Floor’ Still Life of Flowers.