In the Duveen Galleries of the Tate Britain, a crowd has gathered. A riotous procession of motley armatures marches through the gallery’s marble columns in defiant exaltation. Vibrant fabrics and strings of pearls festoon the figures as they parade down the hall, raising flags and beating drums. Each sculpture is macabre and strange, yet possesses an otherworldly beauty so intense, one can’t help but imagine the echoes of their cheers reverberating in the distance.
In November of 2021, the Tate Britain announced that artist Hew Locke had been selected for the annual Tate Britain Commission. Tasked with presenting “his response to the unique architecture and context of the neo-classical Duveen Galleries,” Locke created “The Procession,” an ambitious sculpture series that invites visitors to examine the relationship between culture, money, power and history.
Although he was born in Edinburgh in 1959, Hew Locke spent his childhood living in Georgetown, Guyana, leaving him in the position to witness the destruction wrought by colonial powers. Locke wove this understanding throughout “The Procession” in response to the history of Tate Britain and its founder, Henry Tate, the sugar refining magnate. The wealth of the museum was built on the backs of African slaves and oppresed people and “The Procession” includes touches of this history in the flags, the fabric and the wood of the exhibit.
And while such a dark element is included in the exhibit, “The Procession” is not sombre, nor does it imply a freedom from the past. Rather, the figures carry this history baggage with them forward into the future. It’s a celebration of culture, resilience and hope.
Every figure has a strong personality displayed in its oddities. You could never imagine a real person looking like that, but the sculpture before you is undeniably human. According to Locke, the effect is intentional.
“What I try to do in my work is mix ideas of attraction and ideas of discomfort- colourful and attractive, but strangely scarily surreal at the same time,” Locke said.
Hew Locke’s “The Procession” will be on display at the Tate Britain from 22 March 2022 until 22 Jan 2023. For more information, visit https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/hew-locke.
