Chapter 6

July 27–December 29, 2019

Lily Cox-Richard investigates the history of materials to illuminate hidden systems of production and social values.

This installation responded to the Blanton’s William J. Battle Collection of Plaster Casts, a set of nineteenth-century replicas of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture. Such casts were once an integral part of artistic training throughout the Western world. For nineteenth-century viewers, classical statues—and their casts—embodied aesthetic and cultural standards of taste, beauty, democracy, and learnedness. By the mid-twentieth century, however, plaster casts were devalued as mere copies, and the Battle Casts are one of the few remaining collections of this kind in the United States. Cox-Richard’s sculptural installation invited us to consider the legacy of these objects, raising questions about their role in perpetuating notions of physical “perfection” and “whiteness” as ideal.

Many Greek and Roman marble sculptures were originally polychromed—brightly painted, gilded, or otherwise embellished—although little of this surface decoration has withstood the passage of time. This creates the false impression that these sculptures, and ancient people, were all white. Plaster casts reinforced the myth of the statues’ original whiteness. Cox-Richard subverts this fiction and the attendant “ideals” by adding color to sculptures she made utilizing 3D scanning, a modern technology that offers near-perfect reproductions of artworks, as plaster casts once did.

Cox-Richard proposes technicolor alternative narratives for the casts of ancient objects. She used scagliola, or marbleized plaster, to create a sculpture of a she-wolf based on scans of casts taken from the bronze original in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. The she-wolf confronted the viewer from a concrete sidewalk pushed upward by an oozing substance, suggesting a rupture in history. Cox-Richard ground down the corners of the concrete slabs to reveal a colorful aggregate and fossil-like fragments made using 3D scans of the heads of Battle casts.

The sidewalk extended from two separated sections of a Battle Collection cast of a sculpture of the goddesses Dione and Aphrodite that originally decorated the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The figures were swathed in brightly colored fabric to remind us that the original sculptures were once painted. Cox-Richard’s installation evoked classical sculptures’ and their white plaster casts’ journeys through history and asked how we can disrupt the legacies of oppression that they have helped to perpetuate.

Cox-Richard’s exhibition also included an intervention in the display of the Battle Collection in the first-floor Osborne Seminar Room.

This installation was organized by the Blanton Museum of Art.

Major funding is provided by Suzanne McFayden.

The Blanton thanks the UT Department of Art and Art History’s Digital Fabrication Lab for technical support of this exhibition.


The image shows an art installation in a gallery space. The installation features a pathway made of large, flat, concrete slabs with irregular black shapes surrounding it, resembling melted material. At the center of the pathway, there is a colorful sculpture of an animal, possibly a dog. In the background, there are two large, abstract, colorful sculptures placed on wooden pallets. The gallery has white walls and a high, arched ceiling with spotlights illuminating the artwork. The installation is interesting due to its combination of industrial materials and organic forms, creating a contrast between the rigid and fluid elements.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

The image shows an art installation in a gallery space. The installation features a pathway made of large, flat, rectangular slabs with a colorful animal sculpture, possibly a dog or a cat, positioned on top of the slabs. Surrounding the slabs are irregular, organic shapes that appear to be made of a different material, possibly metal or resin. In the background, there are two large, abstract sculptures placed on wooden pallets. The gallery has white walls and a dark wooden floor, creating a stark contrast with the art pieces. This image is interesting because it showcases a contemporary art installation that combines different materials and forms, creating a visually engaging and thought-provoking environment.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

A colorful, abstract sculpture of an animal, possibly a wolf or a dog, standing on a series of large, flat, rectangular concrete slabs. The sculpture is covered in vibrant, swirling colors. The concrete slabs are arranged in a path-like manner, with dark, organic shapes appearing to ooze or melt from underneath the slabs. The setting is an art gallery with a polished wooden floor, creating a contrast between the vibrant sculpture and the industrial concrete slabs.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

A colorful sculpture of an animal, likely a wolf or dog, standing on a platform. The sculpture is covered in a vibrant, multicolored pattern resembling paint splatters and swirls. The platform beneath it is gray with scattered paint splatters around it. The background features a dark wooden floor and some black, cloud-like shapes on the left side of the platform. The unique and vivid design of the sculpture makes it an interesting piece of art.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

A colorful sculpture of an animal, likely a canine, with a vibrant and abstract paint pattern covering its entire body. The sculpture features a mix of bright colors including green, blue, pink, yellow, and red, creating a marbled effect. The animal is standing on a surface, and the detailed paintwork makes the sculpture visually striking and interesting.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

An art gallery or exhibition space with two large, abstract sculptures displayed on wooden pallets. The sculptures appear to be made of plaster or concrete with colorful, translucent overlays. The larger sculpture on the left features a mix of pastel colors, while the smaller sculpture on the right has a red overlay and an additional smaller piece beside it. The gallery floor is polished dark wood, and the walls are plain white, providing a neutral background that highlights the sculptures. There is also a partial view of another platform in the bottom right corner of the image.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

The image shows a sculptural artwork displayed on a wooden platform. The sculpture consists of two main parts: a larger, hollow, shell-like structure wrapped in a translucent pink material, and a smaller, similarly shaped object with a colorful, textured surface. The larger piece appears to be made of a rough, stone-like material, while the smaller piece has a more intricate, layered appearance. The artwork is set against a plain background, emphasizing the textures and forms of the sculptures. This image is interesting because it showcases a unique and abstract piece of art that combines different materials and textures, inviting viewers to interpret its meaning and significance.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

The image shows a colorful, abstract sculpture placed on a white surface. The sculpture appears to be made of various materials, including a textured, woven-like material and a smooth, painted surface. The sculpture has a dynamic, flowing form with a mix of pastel colors, including shades of blue, green, pink, and purple. The structure resembles a combination of organic shapes and possibly a shell or a piece of coral, with intricate details and a sense of movement. The left side of the image shows another part of the sculpture or a different piece with a red and beige fabric-like material. The artwork is displayed in a gallery setting with a wooden floor and white walls.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

A replica of the statue of David covered in translucent colorful cloth.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

Two classical-style statues are displayed in an art gallery. The statue on the left is made of white marble and draped in a toga, holding a scroll or book. The statue on the right is also a white marble figure but is partially covered with a colorful, translucent fabric that drapes over the head and body, creating a striking contrast with the traditional marble. This modern fabric element adds a vibrant touch to the classical statue. The setting of the gallery emphasizes the blend of classical and contemporary art styles.

Lily Cox-Richard, installation view of “She-Wolf” and “Ramp,” 2019, scagliola (plaster, rabbit skin glue, and pigment); fiber-reinforced concrete, urethane foam, pigment, and aggregate including glass, shell, brick, and concrete fragments cast from models of Battle Cast hair. Photo by Colin Doyle.

Lily Cox-Richard discusses her creative process in engaging with the history of whiteness and classical sculpture in this preview for Lily Cox-Richard: She-Wolf + Lower Figs.