Born in Edinburgh in 1959, Hew Locke spent his formative years in Guyana, South America, before returning to the UK to study Fine Art at Falmouth (1988), and MA Sculpture at the Royal College of Art, London (1994). Developing a practice that explores the visual codes of power and cultural diversity, Locke draws attention to a range of subject matter; including royal portraiture, coats-of-arms, public statuary, trophies, weaponry and costume. His ability to successfully fuse influences from both his Caribbean and British backgrounds, together with his own political and cultural concerns, makes for some witty, multi-layered works which amalgamate modern materials with historical subject matter. Applying a critical sensitivity to his creative practice, Locke’s work stands at a crossroads between cultural associations and historic references that interrogates the symbols of our age.
Locke has exhibited extensively including in solo shows: The Wine Dark Sea, Edward Tyler Nahem Fine Art, New York, 2016; Sea Power, The Kochi-Muziris Biennial, India, 2014-15; Give and Take, performance, Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London, 2014; For Those In Peril On The Sea, Perez Art Museum Miami, 2014; The Kingdom of The Blind, Rivington Place, London, 2008; How Do You Want Me?, Hales Gallery, London, 2008; Hew Locke, The New Art Gallery Walsall, 2005; The Cardboard Palace, Chisenhale Gallery, London, 2002; amongst others. His work is included in public and private collections of The Tate Gallery, The Arts Council England Collection, The Pérez Art Museum Miami, The Brooklyn Museum, The New Art Gallery Walsall, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Henry Moore Institute and the Imperial War Museum, amongst others. Locke is represented by Hales Gallery, London.