Sculpture 19 by Derek F Wrigley

Sculpture 19 by Derek F Wrigley

The Artist

Born in 1924 in Manchester, UK, Derek Wrigley is known as an artist, architect and lecturer. Wrigley studied architecture and town planning at the Manchester College of Art and Design. Emigrating to Australia 1947, he spent eight years at the NSW University of Technology lecturing in architecture and Building Science. During this time, Wrigley visited a number of colleges teaching architecture worldwide and designed two houses powered by solar power in Dee Why. In 1957, Wrigley moved to Canberra joining the Australian National University's Design Unit becoming the University's architect in 1962.  According to the website, design and art Australia online, Wrigley initiated the concept of 'Total Design' which covered planning, architecture, interior, landscape and graphic design. He was a founding member for the NSW and ACT branches of the Society of Designers for Industry in 1955 and in 1980 was made a  Life Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia. Wrigley was also a co-founder of the Industrial Design Council of Australia 1956 and remained a councillor for thirty years. Retiring from ANU in 1977, Wrigley moved onto designing furniture for the High Could of Australia.

The Work of art

Sculpture 19 is a significant work in the University of Canberra's art collection since it was the first sculpture acquired by the institution back in 1970 (by friend and co-designer Fred Ward) when the campus had just opened as a College of Advanced Education. The work of art itself consists of a brass strip 50mm  by 3mm by 1250mm  polished and lacquered. The brass loop is mounted on a carrara marble base. The brass loop has some kinetic properties and is meant to move silently!