The first major survey exhibition of Guyanese-British artist Donald Locke (1930–2010) is currently on display at the Spike Island art gallery in Bristol.
His work drew a strong path to explore issues linked history, identity and the threads of the British empire through time and space.
His paintings and sculptures offer reflections on the legacies of colonialism, in his native Guyana and beyond, but also the racial politics of the American Civil War, exploring plantation architecture and military domination through additions of photographs and collage techniques.
According to the curator, "Locke wanted to give form and visibility to the unique and hybrid contributions of Black culture to modernity, which is evident in the broad range of materials and stylistic approaches that he adopted throughout his career."
The works are so strong and their presentation is really powerful.
Visual insight here:
Born and raised in Guyana, Locke first moved to the UK in the 1950s and studied at Bath Academy of Art and Edinburgh School of Art. He then lived between London and Georgetown for the next twenty years, before settling in the United States in the late 1970s.
His son Hew Locke, became a wonderful artist too. I had the chance to interview him at Tate Britain in 202" (you can read my article for Art UK here) and to present a conversation with him at the Royal Academy the following year.
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