Hew Locke

Hew Locke (1959, United Kingdom) lives and works in London. In his methods, he explores the visual codes of power and cultural diversity. That takes him to topics such as royal portraits, military history, public statues and trophies. Using cultural associations and historical references, he questions the symbols of our time.

Locke was born in Edinburgh, spent his formative years in Guyana, South America and returned to the United Kingdom to study Fine Arts at Falmouth (1988) and Sculpture at the Royal College of Art, London (1994). 

He combines influences from both his Caribbean and British backgrounds and unites these with his political and cultural concerns. The result is clever, multi-faceted works that capture historical subjects in modern materials. 

His work can be seen in the collections at e.g. the Tate, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Brooklyn Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum.