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Ty Locke
 
b. 1996, Maidstone, UK.
Lives and works in London, UK.


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Ty Locke's s work draws inspiration from a multitude of sources, responding to his position in the world. All of Ty’s work blends both accessibility and humor with formal presentation and often explores deeper social commentary.

As a queer artist and practicing drag queen, Ty’s work often reflects his experiences in the queer community and the idea of subverting boundaries. He enjoys taking everyday objects and reinventing their position and function to create often labor-intensive sculptures that imbue mundane objects with personality and tension.

Since moving to London to pursue his MFA in sculpture at the Slade, Locke began  making work that is more consciously and directly about his upbringing in Kent. As an artist, Ty’s practice is a way of making sense of the world, almost becoming a form of therapy through the process of making. These more personal sculptures carry a weight to them, and their pleasing and humorous presentation is juxtaposed with the emotional depth of the topics they explore.

Recent and upcoming projects include: solo exhibition, Commune, Vienna (Austria, upcoming); Take a Seat, Bow Arts, London (UK, 2024); Intension (the concept ‘dog’ encapsulates its ‘dogness’), Copperfield, London (UK, 2024) The Physical Trace of Memory, London (UK, 2024); Fragment I, Commune, Vienna (Austria, 2024); Wonderland, FILET, London (2024); Kitchen Sink Drama at Copperfield, London (2023); Amber Room, Matt's Gallery, London (2023); Unfurnished, Bomb Factory, London (2023). 
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Locke has recently completed a residency at Studio Block M74, Mexico City, supported by Knotenpunkt. His work is held in the collections of LAM Museum, the Netherlands; Ingar Dragset, Norway; Maarten Baas, the Netherlands; S. Davíðsdóttir, UK.


For his most recent solo exhibition with the gallery, please click here. 

For his most recent group exhibition with the gallery, please click here.

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Obnoxus Cabanara, 2024. Altered biro pens. 25 x 46 x 3 cm.
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Floppy embrace, 2025. Brooms, wire. 104 x 36 x 15 cm.
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Knives rack, 2024. 10 modified kitchen knives. 21 x 150 cm. Collection of the LAM Museum, Netherlands.
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Pietà, 2024. Plastic chairs. Life size.
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On The Lash, 2023. Fake Leather Shoes, Fake Eyelashes. 32 x 34 x 9 cm.
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Dad Fridge, 2022. Second hand fridge freezer, fridge magnets, paper. 183 x 54 x 60 cm.
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Dad Fridge, detail.
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Hanging tasseled lamp, 2023. Lamp, 540 meters of tassel.
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Hanging tasseled lamp, detail
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Same Shit Diff Day, 2022. Cigarette filters, nylon thread, plywood.
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Same Shit Diff Day, detail.

Education
2019-2023
Slade School of Art, University College London, MFA Sculpture 

2015-2018
University for the Creative Arts, Canterbury, BA (Hons) Fine Art: First Class Degree


Solo Exhibitions
2025
Ty Locke, Commune, Vienna, Austria (upcoming)

2023

Kitchen Sink Drama, Copperfield, London, UK

2021
Domestic Bliss, My Flat, Margate, UK

2019
23p Beans, Margate, UK
38 Code, The Brewery Tap Project Space, Folkestone, UK


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Group Exhibitions
2024 

Take a Seat, Bow Arts, London, UK
Intension (the concept ‘dog’ encapsulates its ‘dogness’), Copperfield, London, UK
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The Physical Trace of Memory, London, UK, curated by Nico Brocchin and Isabella Tang
Fragment I, Commune, Vienna, Austria
Wonderland, FILET, London, UK
Annual Sadness, The Organ Factory, London, UK


2023
Annual Sadness, The Organ Factory, London, UK
​Let Them Eat Fake, Bad Art, BWG Gallery, London, UK
Minor Attractions, Cornershop, London, UK
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Amber Room, Matt's Gallery, London, UK
Unfurnished, Bomb Factory, London, UK
Max Redford, Max Redford Gallery, London, UK


2022
Adult By Nature, Quench, Margate, UK
MOCA WE (Digital exhibition) MOCA London, UK
Deconstructing, National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, USA

2021
Hung On A Minute, Platform Southwark, London, UK
Dysfunctional Pleasures, DODO, Brighton, UK
Turner Contemporary Open, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK

2020
Burger Van, London, UK
Stage, RCA, London, UK

2019
House Meeting, Crate, Margate, UK
LOVE-IN, Limbo, Margate, UK
Platform Graduate Show, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK

2018
Anxiety of Time, UCA, Canterbury, UK
Mr Sandman, Crate, Margate, UK
Domino, Crate, Margate UK
[Insert Title Here] Fine Art Degree Show, UCA, Canterbury, UK
There are no Outlaws in the Gender Galaxy, UCA, Canterbury, UK

2017
Meze, Cyprus College of Art, Lemba, Paphos, Cyprus
Found object, Cyprus College of Art, Lemba, Paphos, Cyprus
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Residencies
2025
Studio Block M74, Mexico City


Selected collections
LAM Museum, the Netherlands
Ingar Dragset, Norway
Maarten Baas, the Netherlands
S. Davíðsdóttir, UK
 

Press
2023
Chibundu Onuzo, Art stars of tomorrow? Four of my favourite artists from the Slade School degree show in London, The Art Newspaper, 23 June 2023

2022
Next Gen, radio podcast, Ramsgate Radio
http://www.ramsgateradio.com/nextgen/episode/4faf7e2a/ty-locke
 
2021
Art of Tomorrow, Artist talk
https://www.artoftmrw.com/ty-locke
 

Awards
2018

Platform Graduate Award:
Turner Contemporary, Margate                           
UCA & Crate Graduate Award
Crate, Margate   
Shortlisted - DAD, New Graduate Award/ Art in the Park: 
Kearsney Abbey, Dover
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Funded Projects
2019

Margate NOW Festival: '23p Beans', Margate, UK

2018
Margate NOW Festival: 'Main Sands', Margate, UK