Originally commissioned by The Lowry in 2019, Hew Locke’s “The Ambassadors” will be on view from Saturday, April 29 to Sunday, June 25, 2023, in the Lowry Galleries. Coinciding with the exhibition there will be a special conversation between Hew Locke and artist Nicola Singh on May 11 (booking required—see links below). The Lowry is located at Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, England.

Description: The Lowry is delighted to present Hew Locke’s The Ambassadors. Originally commissioned by The Lowry in 2019, and previously shown in London and Rotterdam, this is our first opportunity to bring this major new work to Salford. 

Locke is a Guyanese-British sculptor whose practice is rooted in the languages of colonial and post-colonial power, employing visual cues and symbols of authority across different cultures and histories. His work invites us to consider our relationship to the past and dominant historical narratives, highlighting their relevance to today’s society.

Central to this exhibition, The Ambassadors consists of four Black figures on horseback, acting as envoys, bringing messages from the past to the future. Each of them is intricately decorated with symbols that echo past cultures, including Benin bronzes, colonial medals, currency, and much more. With these figures, Locke offers a counterpoint to traditional statues and monuments, subverting their symbols of power, and questioning who our society chooses to memorialise and celebrate.

Visitors to the exhibition will have an opportunity to explore and reflect on public monuments in the UK, and to make their own creative response to The Ambassadors through sculpture, drawing and writing. In an adjacent gallery space transformed to look like an artists’ studio, visitors will have access to a range of craft materials and guidance to make their own mini monuments or to design the embellishments for an equestrian statue, and to be displayed in the gallery space.

Don’t miss our special conversation with Hew Locke on 11 May.

Here is the link to book now. 

For more information, see https://thelowry.com/whats-on/hew-locke-the-ambassadors/ and https://thelowry.com/whats-on/in-conversation-hew-locke-and-nicola-singh/

[Shown above, Hew Locke. Photo by Anna Arca.]