Hew Locke (b. Edinburgh, UK, 1959) spent his formative years (1966-1980) in Guyana before returning to the UK to complete an MA in Sculpture at Royal College of Art (1994).

Locke’s practice addresses the symbolism of statuary, monarchy and ships; how different cultures fashion their identities through visual symbols of authority; and how these representations are altered by the passage of time. Throughout an extensive and complex practice, Locke remains dedicated to illuminating histories – highlighting the relevance of the past within the context of contemporary culture and politics. Through various motifs, Locke reassesses the figureheads and imagery that represent nationhood. His critique of existing power structures in subtle and open-ended, encouraging the viewer to look more closely.

In his Share series, Locke reworks and paints over original shares and bonds. These paper relics, which often refer to now defunct or bankrupt companies, once represented fortunes. Through his adaptions of these original documents, Locke creates relationships between different histories; weaving narratives between the history of the companies, their location, their development and their ultimate demise. Locke’s manipulation of the found histories of the share certificates draws the viewer’s attention to the pre-conceptions and narratives surrounding the movement of money, power, ownership and people.

'Manchester Ship Canal Company' (2022) is a mortgage debenture (loan agreement) from 1966. Locke became interested in the company’s construction after visiting New Orleans and discovering that Irish navies built the US city’s canals. Locke states “Like any kind of labour in those days, you were sort of expendable, no matter who you were.” In the work he depicts typical work men in uniform of the time with their tools.