ABOUT I IMAGES

DRIFT

Isaac “Drift” Wright is a multidisciplinary artist and U.S. Army veteran whose large-scale photography explores themes of survival, visibility, and transcendence. As a Black man navigating the dual weight of military trauma and systemic inequity, Wright turned to urban exploration as both artistic outlet and emotional refuge—capturing cities from breathtaking, often forbidden heights.

In 2021, Wright’s story—his arrest and incarceration for his photographic work—was featured on the front page of The New York Times. That article caught the attention of legendary gallerist Robert Mann, who saw in Wright a bold new voice in contemporary photography. Over the next four years, the two collaborated closely to bring Wright’s vision to life.

The result was Coming Home, Wright’s debut solo exhibition at Robert Mann Gallery in the spring of 2025. The show marked a major addition to the gallery’s program and was met with extraordinary critical and commercial success, drawing enthusiastic and well-attended audiences and firmly establishing Wright as a rising force in fine art photography.

Wright’s work has been featured in TIMERolling StoneThe New York Times, and more. His images, both daring and emotionally resonant, challenge how we see place, power, and presence—and who is allowed to claim them.

2025
Drift: Coming Home, Robert Mann Gallery, NYC

2021
To The Moon and Never Back, Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH

SOLO EXHIBITION


SELECT PRESS

2025
“He Faced Decades Behind Bars for His Art. Now He Has a Show in N.Y.C.” The New York Times
“Drift: Coming Home” Musée Magazine
"Issac ‘Drift’ Wright: Coming Home” Brooklyn Rail

2023
“This Photographer Turns His Death-Defying Feats Into Stunning Crypto Art” Rolling Stone

2022
“Cincinnati photographer got great views of cities, not-so-great views of justice system” Cincinnati Inquirer
“Scaling Heights to Find Peace” The Voice

2021
“A Rogue Climber Running From the Law Was Fleeing His Own Trauma” The New York Times
“Overlooked Stories” The New York Times