Artist Talk: Hew Locke at Yale Center for British Art

The Yale Center for British Art will host an artist talk with Hew Locke in celebration of the opening of Hew Locke: Passages. The exhibition spans Locke’s career from the late 1990s to today, showcasing the full spectrum of his practice across multiple media, including drawing, found objects, photography, and sculpture. Locke will be in conversation with Martina Droth, Paul Mellon Director of the YCBA and curator of the exhibition, offering insights into his artistic vision and methods.

For more than thirty years, Locke (b. 1959) has explored the visual codes of imperialism, using strategies of appropriation to deconstruct and reimagine entrenched iconographies of British sovereignty. His work has been described as “postcolonial baroque,” blending vernacular and formal traditions influenced by his British and Guyanese heritage. Hew Locke: Passages brings together distinct bodies of work that address the historical processes of colonialism and their present-day legacies, including themes of migration, diaspora, global capitalism, architecture, portraiture, and public statuary.

The talk will take place on Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut.