Peter Raby Buck: Dedalus and Sionnach

About the artist

Peter Raby Buck is a printmaker whose work often synthesises literary narrative with surreal composition. Originally trained in Chemistry and Surface Science at the Universities of Nottingham and Bristol, he has since developed his practice through the Art Academy, London, and the Oxford Printmakers’ Cooperative.

His recent work features a dual-figure narrative involving Dedalus, James Joyce’s literary alter ego, and Sionnach, the Irish word for fox. The figure of Dedalus is based on a photograph of Joyce at age 22, depicted as a heroic presence that dominates the frame and challenges the viewer. In contrast, the fox serves as a symbol of rebellion and reinvention; while Dedalus represents a static, known future, the fox moves dynamically through the composition.

Buck uses symbolic imagery to explore the acquisition of knowledge. In his work, a library represents revealed information, while the night sky, complete with comets, nebulae, and the Milky Way, signifies endless new revelations and future challenges. A globe and a steep ladder further illustrate the shared ownership of knowledge and the physical effort required to reach higher levels of understanding. The perspective is intentionally surreal, with floorboards converging to a single point and shadows falling in conflicting directions to lead the viewer into a pool of light.

A member of the Oxford Printmakers’ Cooperative, Buck exhibits regularly in Oxford and London. His exhibition history includes the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers’ "Small But Mighty" at Bankside Gallery, the Oxford Art Society Open Exhibition, and the Printmakers’ Council exhibition "Green and Pleasant Land" in 2026.