Hew Locke's 'Foreign Exchange' reimagines Queen Victoria statue in Birmingham for Commonwealth Games
Hew Locke, a Guyanese-British artist, has unveiled his inaugural public artwork titled 'Foreign Exchange,' commissioned by Ikon Gallery for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This installation reimagines a seven-metre-high monument dedicated to Queen Victoria in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which was originally made of marble in 1901 and later replaced with bronze in 1951. Locke encased the statue in a crate and constructed a large boat, symbolizing foreign trade and the transatlantic slave trade. On the deck, five smaller 3D-printed resin replicas of Victoria are positioned, each adorned with oversized medallions that commemorate imperial conflicts. Through 'Foreign Exchange,' Locke encourages a critical examination of Britain's colonial past. The artwork will be on display until 15 August.
Key facts
- Hew Locke created 'Foreign Exchange,' his first public artwork, for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
- The work reimagines a seven-metre-high Queen Victoria statue in Birmingham's Victoria Square from 1901
- Locke added a crate and built a large boat around the statue, referencing trade, slavery, and indentured servitude
- Five 3D-printed resin replicas of Victoria appear on the boat's deck
- The original statue wears a Roman gladiator-helmet; replicas have gold-painted martial helmets with spikes
- Medallions commemorate imperial battles: Seringapatam (1799), Second Afghan War (1878–80), Capture of Trinidad (1797)
- The work responds to 2021 debates involving Oliver Dowden and the toppling of Bristol's William Colston statue
- 'Foreign Exchange' is presented by the Birmingham 2022 Festival through 15 August
Entities
Artists
- Hew Locke
Institutions
- Ikon Gallery
- Policy Exchange
- Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
- Birmingham 2022 Festival
Locations
- Birmingham
- United Kingdom
- Bristol
- Guyana
- India
- New York
- United States