The Witness Tree

The Witness Tree is a cast translucent white marble artwork situated in the foyer of Castlebar Courthouse. The artist used a process of 'living casting' to create a three-dimensional picture of the tree.

The height of the piece is approximately 6m, with a diameter of approximately 700mm. This work stretches over two levels of the building towards the atrium. Daphne Wright found her inspiration through looking at old photographs. She states:

"The trees on the Mall are recurring background stalwarts through the different generations and folklore of the town. Many references are made to the trees in the archiving and documentation of the court house. Family events and community rituals have taken place under these trees. Births, weddings, deaths and social events. Like the courthouse this symbolises the very social textures that are indeed the essence of the community. The courthouse exists for the community. I see the foyer area because of the architectural ambience coupled with The Witness Tree, becoming a contemplative and communal sitting area."

Daphne Wright is a very experienced and well-respected artist, whose work involves installations appropriate to particular spaces. Wright's work was the subject of a solo exhibition at Limerick City Art Gallery in 2006. Wright has been involved in several important international group exhibitions, notably 0044 touring PS1, New York; Albright Knox Museum, Buffalo; Crawford Art Gallery, Cork, 1999/2000 and From a Distance: Approaching Landscape at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. She has had major solo exhibitions including; Where Do Broken Hearts Go? at the Douglas Hyde Galley, Dublin in 2000; These Talking Walls at the New Art Centre Sculpture Park and Gallery, Roche Court, Wiltshire; Nonsense and Death at the Sligo Art Gallery, Sligo, Ireland; and Sires at Frith Street Gallery, London in 2003.