24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
MGM 2008 - A Museum of Me - Hew Locke
06/05/2008
Hew Locke was born in Edinburgh and moved with his family to British Guyana where he spent his formative years before returning to Britain. Much of his work portrays a fascination with the British Royal Family.
Image: A photo of a man stand next to a painting
Hew Locke at recent solo show 'How Do You Want Me?' Photo by Pam Winfield, 2008
Which object or artwork has inspired you to innovate or have a great idea?
Many many objects have inspired me: a small miniature at the V&A of a mixed-race girl born to an East India Company official and an Indian woman; the Unicorn Tapestries in Paris and NY; the weapons, armour and Baroque mirrors at the Wallace Collection; and the Meissen and Chelsea group-composition porcelain pieces at the V&A museum, to name just a few.
Image: A photo of a room with a large fireplace and mirror hanging overhead
Baroque mirrors. Photo by kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection
There is never some sort of 'eureka' moment when you see something and you suddenly start creating new work different to everything you have done before. Art isn't like that.
Which person has most inspired you?
Picasso. I first saw his work in one of my parents' books when I was nine years old in Guyana. When I was at art school in Falmouth I had a book of his lithographs almost on permanent loan from the library.
Image: a plate with a many faces on it
Four Enlaced Profiles, round/square plate, 1949. Empreinte originale: white earthenware, decorated with slips, glazed. © Picasso estate
Virtuoso drawing and composition, and quite tender work for such a macho guy. Alongside the misogyny, it is emotionally complex work charting the sexual life of a particular human being.
Which idea or invention are you most proud of?
I'm never satisfied with my own ideas, and I am always trying to improve them, or push them further.
Image: A photo of a man stood next to paintings
Hew Locke at recent solo show 'How Do You Want Me?' Photo by Pam Winfield, 2008
Which innovation will have the most impact in the future?
I have no idea – who can guess what it will be? It could be digital technology. On the other hand someone may figure out something amazing to do with rubber bands.
The digital camera - an example of popular digital technology. © SXC
Tell us what you think. We would like you to use our simple Storymaker editing tool to tell us what you'd put in a museum of me. We will be selecting some of the most interesting examples and publishing them next to the expert’s views during MGM 2008.
Go back to the Museum of Me index page
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
National Portrait Gallery Acquires Tudor Double Portrait
Sheffield Metal Master Wins Museum's Inaugural Design Award
DCMS Launches Consultation Into The Future Of World Heritage Sites
A Selection Of Festive Fairs - Fun Days and Exhibitions
Royal Society Announces Plans For 350th Anniversary
Art Website ArtisanCam Wins Coveted Children's BAFTA
Former Floorboards Of Founding Father Franklin Facilitate Funny Four
Mark Leckey Wins The 2008 Turner Prize And Scoops £25,000
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long-Standing Campaign For Cardiff City Museum
Culture Secretary Slaps Export Ban On George I Chandelier
Shakespeare's Globe Costumes Go On Show In Nottingham
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Another Busy Year For Archaeology On Orkney In 2008
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.