Hew Locke: Starchitect. Image courtesy of the artist, ArtSway and Hales Gallery, London.
Hew Locke‘s exhibition at ArtSway consists of works made of a variety of gold and silver plastic from pound shops, the most striking of which form shields with crossed swords behind, like would belong in a mediaeval castle. Additionally plastic pearl necklaces have been used to draw royal crests on plain white fabric squares that hang like Royal Standards, which could be attached to trumpets heralding the forthcoming royal wedding. Locke’s work is contained in a structure something like a bedouin tent constructed inside the gallery from sheets of plywood. Each of these is pierced by numerous large star shapes through which the gallery lighting plus some additional lights shine through, creating something closer to a planetarium.
