Hew Locke: what have we here? | Publication

Hales is delighted to announce the publication of the accompanying book to the major British Museum exhibition Hew Locke: what have we here?.

 

Hew Locke is interested in dissecting the messy and complex ways in which museums are implicated in the histories of empire. The British Museum's history and collections are closely linked to those of the British Empire, which this book addresses alongside a consideration of today's often contentious and deeply felt debates around cultural heritage. Focusing on Britain's historic interactions with Africa, India, and the Caribbean from around 1600 onwards, all of which had an impact on Guyana (where Locke grew up), Locke creates a personal exploration of the subject, weaving in his own words such as the Souvenir series and a new commission titled The Watchers. Using interventionist techniques to reframe the collection's historical objects, the artist hopes to leave readers with more questions than answers.