Jules Wright was one of London’s most daring and visionary commissioners of contemporary art and artists. She took a characteristically innovative approach to showcasing new talent at The Wapping Project which she launched in east London in 1993. The gallery space offered a unique urban venue that was defined by its independence.
Born in Australia, Ms Wright came to the UK as a Commonwealth Scholar in 1975. Jules directed her first main stage production at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, in May 1979, Just two years later, she was appointed as a Resident Director at the Royal Court Theatre, and soon after became Artistic Director of the Theatre Upstairs and Associate Director of the Royal Court. From 1984 to 1986, Jules was Artistic Director of the Liverpool Playhouse, , before returning to the Royal Court as Associate Director and then Deputy Artistic Director where she remained until 1992 when she went on to pursue a wide ranging international career as a freelance director,
Dr Jules Wright Ph.D’s career in the UK included productions at the Old Vic, Royal Exchange, Royal Festival Hall, West End transfers, theatre, opera and television (BBC) and international work in Europe, (Ibsen at the Royal National Theatre of Norway) Australia (Sydney Opera House and Sydney Theatre Company), Turkey (Mozart at the State Opera of Istanbul) and South America (Macbeth in Sao Paulo).
At The Wapping Project, Jules was committed to commissioning new work from young and established artists, many have gone on to become major players in the UK’s cultural landscape. She continued to stage work, and she also worked as a director with the fine art and fashion photographer Thomas Zanon-Larcher. Wright closed the Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, home for 13 years of The Wapping Project. The Wapping Project on Paper was recently released and she continued the project with a west end gallery. Jules married, Josh Wright, in 1968, they did divorce, however remained close friends remarrying four days before her death, from cancer.
Photo: Courtesy Wapping Project