Cristea Roberts Gallery’s Project Space presents “Kings & Queens,” by Hew Locke, marking his first major print project with the gallery. “Drawing on the spirit of Carnival and procession, the works combine ink and gold leaf to explore power, performance, and the layered legacies of empire. Bold, shimmering figures invite viewers to assemble their own narratives—where history, masquerade, and transformation march side by side.” The exhibition runs until April 15, 2026. [Cristea Roberts Gallery is located at 43 Pall Mall, London, UK.]

Description: A new suite of fifteen prints by Hew Locke (b. 1959) depict a bold procession of characters marching forward in vibrant colours. Known for a style that has been described as “postcolonial baroque” Locke’s ensemble evoke the spirit of Carnival, of costume and masquerade, in the wake of colonial legacies, such as migration and the diaspora.

“It is a parade, a procession… you can work on a costume for a whole year and then be King or Queen for a day. It’s about darkness and light – fragments of history, soldiers, sailors, drag queens and kings, carnival kings and queens, gods and goddesses.”  –Hew Locke

Cristea Roberts Gallery

Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 5.30pm
Saturday: 11am – 2pm
Closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays
The gallery is closed over the Easter weekend from Friday 3 April – Monday 6 April 2026.

Get in touch: +44 (0)20 7439 1866 or info@cristearoberts.com

For more information, visit https://cristearoberts.com/artists/245-hew-locke/works/103328/

[Shown above: #1 (Top) “Kings & Queens 4”, 2025; screenprint with catalysed and vinyl inks and 23 carat gold leaf on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Satin paper; 76.1 x 64.8 cm – 30 x 25 1/2 in; edition of 25.

#2. “Kings and Queens 5,” 2025; screenprints with catalysed and vinyl inks and 23 carat gold leaf on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Satin paper. 76.1 x 64.8 cm or 30 x 25 1/2 in; edition of 25.]