Sculpture 19 by Derek F Wrigley

Biography:

Born in Lancashire, UK in 1924, Derek Wrigley’s art and design career did not commence until his relocation to Australia in 1947, when he purchased land in Dee Why, NSW and designed the house which was eventually erected on the site.  During this embryonic period in his career, Wrigley also designed and produced furniture.

In 1953, Wrigley became a founding member of the NSW Chapter of the Society for Designers for Industry, (later, the Design Institute of Australia), and played a pivotal role in the growth of the design profession in Australia.  Together with Victorian designer colleague Fred Ward, he also founded the Industrial Design Council of Australia in 1956.

A year later, and with the encouragement of Ward, he relocated to Canberra and took up a position of Assistant University Designer at the Australian National University (ANU).  Wrigley’s place at the University was seminal; expanding and developing courses to include landscape, graphics, furniture, building and industrial design in addition to drawing upon new theory and practice from Europe and the US to inform his own working theories of his theories of ‘total’ or ‘integrated’ design and functional design.

Resigning from ANU in 1977 Wrigley’s interests turned to solar energy and design, alongside new technologies, the nature of which occupied his remaining years.

He was awarded an Order of Australia, Life Fellowship of the DIA and was inducted into their Hall of Fame and was a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA).

Artwork:

This is a significant work as its acquisition constitutes the first sculpture to enter the Collection, on the recommendation by Fred Ward.

Read: the University of Canberra’s Obituary for Derek Fuller Wrigley OAM.