Hew Locke: The Procession

Fabulous installation at Tate Britain by Hew Locke.

As the title suggests this work is a great procession through the huge Duveen Galleries made up of hundreds of brightly dressed mannequins moving through the space in protest, celebration, I’m not sure. At first glance they seem jubilant but as you move though you realise some have guns and many wave flags. Some of the figures wear prints drawn from colonial documents, currency and handbills. They seem to group into clans of similarly dressed figures. Ost unnerving are the childlike figures amongst them.

I loved the way you could walk around them finding more and more as you moved down the gallery. On the one hand they felt quite intimidating but on the other you wanted to join in. I went to see other things on that floor but kept being drawn back for another look. I’ll definitely be going back.

I’m not sure I understood all the nuances but there is certainly something about colonialism and the legacy of the galleries founder’s involvement in sugar and slavery. It is as if the figures are reclaiming the space.

Closes 22 January 2023

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