The Art and Themes Explored by Hew Locke

**Exploring the Journey: Hew Locke’s “Passages” at Yale Center for British Art**

In the elegant expanses of the Yale Center for British Art, the entrance greets visitors with the intriguing views of suspended ships – “The Survivor” (2022), “The Relic” (2022), and “Desire” (2018). These appearing as if ethereal vessels, are meticulously detailed with industrial decay and adventure, portraying a captured moment of boundless exploration and reminiscence, thus setting the tone for Hew Locke’s profound exhibition, “Passages”.

Hew Locke, an artist renowned for his exploration of postcolonial themes, presents a compelling visual dialogue with the multifaceted heritage of colonial legacies. Locke’s roots trace back to Guyana, infusing his artistry with genuine narratives of migration and transformation. His works query the current interplay between colonial impositions and emerging independent identities.

The exhibition invites reflection on the haunting persistence of colonial influence encapsulated in Locke’s textural portrayals. “The Survivor”, with tattered sails depicting laborious sugarcane harvests, seems to embody both nostalgia and the inevitability of historical repetition in societal constructs. Adjacent, “The Relic” bears an architectural representation of colonial power—a miniature plantation house afloat on a ship, symbolizing histories unwilling to remain tethered to static moments in time.

More than mere critiques, Locke’s pieces reflect intricate stories embedded within these maritime relics. The enigma of their concealed cargo arouses curiosity about what remnants of colonial past and personal heritage Locke chooses to leave undisclosed.

Within “Passages”, Locke navigates beyond marine motifs. “Hinterland” (2013) challenges with a vivid reinterpretation of Queen Victoria surrounded by skeletal performers, a potent memento of colonial excess and melodious mourning. This is Locke’s testament to the relentless cycle of empire through which manifestations of authority persist in haunting contemporary society.

Invoking personal ode and cultural myths, Locke’s “How Do You Want Me”, “Natives and Colonials”, and “Ambassadors” series portray possibilities beyond the physical and ephemeral, redefining kings with spectral vibrancy in these new artistic identities. Locke’s vision challenges static perceptions, replicating imperial effigies into phantasmal warriors and envoys from another epoch.

“Passages” extends far beyond artistic observation into a philosophical venture of personal and historical evolution. Locke posits the concept of home, projecting an insistent requirement to redefine identity while concurrently tethered to history’s relentless persistence. Thus, Locke embarks upon his exhibition’s namesake—an endless pursuit of discovery between identity, memory, and uncharted potential.

This exhibition, co-curated by Martina Droth, Hew Locke, and Indra Khanna, will be on display at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut, until January 11, extending an opportunity to contemplate the enduring voyage of history, identities, and artistic expression.