For this printed collage, Locke has taken a motif of an imaginary figure that features as a detail in The Procession and hand painted it in vibrant colours. The skeletal figure is derived from the European tradition of Momento Mori – an image meant to remind us of our mortality – and is also reminiscent of characters from Caribbean folklore. The figure, which is digitally printed and die cut, is overlaid on a black and white photograph of a typical Guyanese house with decorative fretwork and Demerara shutters. An example of Caribbean colonial wooden architecture, houses such as this are an important part of the culture and identity of Guyana. In recent years, many of them have been demolished to make way for concrete building developments, or are simply deteriorating in the hot, humid climate. These beautiful wooden houses, which Locke aspired to owning as a child, are being lost to future generations. This premonition is reflected in the title, Distant Thunder.
Hew Locke - Distant Thunder - 2022
Medium: Digital pigment print with digitally printed hand applied die cut figure on paper
Size: 60 x 42.7 cm
Edition of 50
Signed and numbered
Price: £ 420
You can order this Hew Locke edition from Tate Shop.
