Daphne Mayo: Let There Be Sculpture

Daphne Mayo: Let There Be Sculpture is the first retrospective of Daphne Mayo’s work to be held by a state gallery, honouring her as not only a leading artist but also a passionate activist. The exhibition brings together over 50 works from public and private collections around Australia including ceramics, paintings, drawings, woodcarvings and, of course, Mayo’s remarkable sculptures.

While there is diversity within the style and subject matter of Mayo’s works, there is no denying that figurative sculpture and the human form were her central passion, and an early bust of her instructor, L J Harvey (1916), shows a depth of understanding and a skill at capturing both energy and stillness which was exceptional for the artist’s tender age (21). A collection of Mayo’s later busts proves even more insightful as the artist honed her sculptural skills throughout the years, proving an ability to portray personality, affection and power in her sitters, and stating of Field Marshal Sir Thomas Blamey “I work on him, then leave him for a while – then get back to him – hoping to surprise the secret of his likeness.”

Mayo also attempted to leave the physical toil of sculpture for a short time, and paintings that she created while on this break are also included in the exhibition, providing a glimpse into the full spectrum of her talents. It appears, however, that even with a brush in her hand, it was sculpture and the human form that was on her mind, and many of Mayo’s own sculptures feature in the selected paintings.

One of the more surprising elements of Let There Be Sculpture is the inclusion of Mayo’s modernist sculptures, undiscovered up until 1981, providing a playful contrast to the traditional busts. These modernist sculptures are almost unrecognisable as Mayo’s work when compared with some of the more sombre pieces, however this light and humorous side of the artist proves that not only could she reflect the lives of her sitters in her works, but she could just as easily reflect the humour, naivety and passion of her own within them as well.

Daphne Mayo: Let There Be Sculpture
Queensland Art Gallery
November 4 2011 to January 15