Austin Wright

Born 1911
Died 1997

Active: 1940 - 1997

Country of birth and death: England

Sculptor

Born Chester. Turned to sculpture in 1940, working in wood and plaster until 1954, then lead and bronze, later mainly aluminium. Studied modern languages at Oxford; also studied Cardiff. Held various language teaching posts; taught art at York School of Art. Awarded Xavier da Silveira Acquisition Prize at IV Sao Paulo Biennal 1957. Gregory Fellow at University of Leeds 1961-64.

Commissions include: Poundswick Grammar School, Manchester; Crocodile, concrete play-sculpture for Rolleston Infant School, Glen Parva, Leicestershire 1961; tapestries for cathedrals at Manchester, Wakefield and Derby.

Exhibitions include: West Riding Artists, City Art Gallery, Wakefield, 1941-8; Modern Art in Yorkshire, Wakefield Art Gallery 1953; Roland Browse and Delbanco, London 1956 (solo); Aldeburgh Festival (Arts Council tour) 1956; LCC 1957; BC 1956; BCSP 1957; SPB 1957; Sculpture in the Home, Arts Council, 1958; Middelheim Park, Antwerp 5th Biennale 1959.

Collections include: Arts Council; National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; Leeds City Art Galleries.

Further reading: Austin Wright, Retrospective Memorial Exhibition, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, 28 November 1997 – 1 February 1998, (exh. cat.).
J. Hamilton, Austin Wright, (London: Lund Humphries/Henry Moore Foundation,1994)

Biography from Whiteley (2001) See also http://www.hartgallery.co.uk/artists/wright/index.htm (accessed 24 October 2010)

Citing this record

'Austin Wright', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=ann_1280074956, accessed 09 Jun 2023]