Hew Locke, Dandy, 1997. Photo by Damian Griffiths
Hales is delighted to announce that the British Museum has acquired two works by Hew Locke, Dandy, 1997 and Bank of Bengal, 2012-2024.
Hew Locke explores the languages of colonial and post-colonial power, examining how different cultures fashion their identities through visual symbols of authority, and how these representations shift over time.
Hew Locke explores the languages of colonial and post-colonial power, examining how different cultures fashion their identities through visual symbols of authority, and how these representations shift over time.
Bank of Bengal, 2012-2024 is a work from Locke’s Share series, where he reworks and paints over 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.
Bank of Bengal, 2012-2024 was included in Hew Locke’s major collaboration with the British Museum, what have we here? (2024-2025).
Bank of Bengal, 2012-2024 was included in Hew Locke’s major collaboration with the British Museum, what have we here? (2024-2025).
Dandy, 1997 is part of a body of charcoal drawings which reimagine figures from art historical works. Locke creates a cast of characters which are part human and part animal. He draws upon early memories of his education in Guyana with particular reference to Nelson’s West Indian Readers. This work like others in the series is based on drawings by William Hogarth. The mask the figure wears is based on a Kuba mask Locke encountered at an exhibition at the Royal Academy as part of Africa95. The outer coat designs are inspired by Turkish fabrics held at the Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, specifically those used for robes of Sultans. The inner coat’s tulip designs also references Turkish textile.
November 4, 2025
