the penitent . 2022
This vulnerability reflects Locke’s own experiences as a queer Black man. Forced to negotiate a world shaped by racism and homophobia, his free-standing works signpost the cost of this navigation, incorporating materials and motifs that reference his biography into their construction. His sculptures’ uncanny, human-like physicality engages viewers in an extended confrontation, implicating them in the rising global tide of polarization and hate. “It’s work that’s addressing you,” the artist summarizes. “And it’s something that’s accusing you at the same time.”
Alexander Gray Associates
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