Bootle Artist Sydney Wright

Bootle Artist Sydney Wright

We have been given a fascinating group of studies for two paintings in our collection by long-forgotten artist Sydney Wright. Most of the studies we have been given are for ‘Mammon’ a nightmarish fantasy painted on the grand scale. It features a monstrous devil presiding over all the great institutions of the earth including churches, banks and temples, while the four horsemen of the apocalypse hurtle across the sky. It’s a wonderful piece of ‘outsider’ art by someone who was totally committed to his moral views, didn’t belong to any artistic movement and clearly saw the approach of WWII as the impending collapse of civilization.

Very little is known about Sydney, he was working as a draughtsman during WWII  and his drawing skills are very evident. He was also a lay preacher. His studio was on Stanley Street in Bootle above a saddlery shop and he lived with his father a few streets away at 26 Ash Street. They ran a scout group at the Baptist church also on Ash Street. He seems to have been a ham radio enthusiast and was working in South Africa in the 1950s. If anyone knows any more we would be pleased to hear about it. Email hello@theatkinson.co.uk

The painting and studies will be shown at The Atkinson in August.


This is the painting

Wright, Sydney; Mammon; Atkinson Art Gallery Collection; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/mammon-65754

Wright, Sydney; Mammon; Atkinson Art Gallery Collection; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/mammon-65754


Sydney in his Studio

Sydney Wright in his studio

Posted on 25 January 2018 under Artist, Exhibitions

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