Daphne Wright facts for kids

Daphne Wright, born in Ireland in 1963, is a talented visual artist. She creates amazing sculptures and art pieces. She uses different materials and ways of working to show feelings and ideas that people might not talk about.

Her art has been shown in many places around the world. Some recent exhibitions include Hotspot in Rome, Daphne Wright: Prayer Project in the USA, and Portals in Athens. She also helped organize an exhibition called The Ethics of Scrutiny at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in 2018. Daphne Wright has won important awards like the Paul Hamlyn Award. She is also a member of Aosdána, a group of Irish artists.

Early Life and Education

Daphne Wright was born in 1963 in County Longford, Ireland. She studied art at several colleges. From 1981 to 1985, she attended the Atlantic Technological University, Sligo. Then, from 1985 to 1987, she studied at the National College of Art & Design in Dublin. Later, from 1989 to 1991, she went to Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic.

What is Daphne Wright's Art About?

Daphne Wright's art often explores different stages of life. She looks at the time between being a child and becoming an adult. She also explores the ideas of life and death.

She uses many different materials to create her art. These include plaster, tin foil, and even video. She also uses printmaking and everyday objects she finds. Her artworks often create beautiful and sometimes mysterious worlds. These worlds can feel like you are stepping into somewhere new and exciting.

Recent Artworks

Some of Daphne Wright's most recent art was shown in exhibitions called A quiet mutiny in 2019 and A quiet mutiny – persists in 2020. In these shows, she made familiar things from daily life look strange and beautiful. She used objects like baby buggies, houseplants, and even a fridge. She also included tall sunflowers and a child's drawing.

Wright often uses dry, unfired clay in her sculptures. This makes her familiar objects feel both strong and delicate at the same time. She chooses objects that are only important for a short time in our lives.

Famous Sculptures and Videos

Daphne Wright has created many well-known sculptures. One piece is Kitchen Table (2014). It is a sculpture of her two sons sitting at a table. Another famous sculpture is Stallion (2009). This is a sculpture of a dead horse made from marble dust and resin.

She has also made several video artworks. Some of these include Is everyone OK? (2019), Song of Songs (2019), and I know what it's like (2012).

Exhibitions and Collections

Daphne Wright's art has been shown in many solo and group exhibitions. These have taken place in Britain and other countries.

Recent Exhibitions

• 2022: Hotspot, Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Rome.
• 2021: Portals, Athens, Greece.
• 2020: A quiet mutiny – persists, Frith Street Gallery, London (solo show).
• 2019: Daphne Wright: a quiet mutiny, Crawford Art Gallery, Cork (solo show).
• 2017: Daphne Wright: Prayer Project, Davis Museum at Wellesley College, USA (solo show).
• 2016: Emotional Archaeology, Arnolfini, Bristol (solo show).

Where to Find Her Art

Daphne Wright's artworks are part of many important art collections around the world. You can find her pieces in places like:

• Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin
• Crawford Art Gallery, Cork
• Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow
• Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany
• National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
• Towner Art Gallery, Sussex

She has also created large art pieces for public spaces. These include 'Still life' at Hanbury Hall and 'Stallion' at VISUAL Carlow.

Awards and Recognition

Daphne Wright has received several important awards and fellowships for her artistic work. These include:

• Henry Moore Foundation Fellowship
• British School at Rome Award in Sculpture
• The 1996 Paul Hamlyn Award