Hew Locke, the world-renowned artist and sculptor, welcomed special guests for a tour of a new piece of public space in East London this week, where a series of public artworks is set to be unveiled.  

The series of six sculptural boats – known as Cargoes – explores the area’s historical ties to mercantile and dock communities, with the pieces dotted around a new extension to King Edward Memorial Park in Shadwell. 

For eight years, the site has been occupied by Tideway, the company behind London’s super sewer project, which is protecting the Thames from sewage pollution.  

And with the vital below-ground infrastructure complete, the finishing touches are being made to a beautifully landscaped, new, riverside public space – complete with Hew’s artworks.  

In this context, Tideway invited guests – including HRH The Duke of Gloucester – for a special preview of the site to join Tideway’s Deputy Chair Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith and CEO Andy Mitchell, and to meet Hew and others involved in delivering the site.  

Lucy Webster, Tideway’s Director of External Affairs, who welcomed Hew Locke and the visiting group, said: “As Tideway transitions from construction to stewardship, this event highlights how art can anchor place and meaning. 

“Cargoes is not only a tribute to the Thames, but a permanent reminder of the stories that flow through London’s river. 

“Hew is a leading figure — arguably one of the most inspirational artists working today in interpreting our complex national heritage and the experiences of diaspora communities through sculpture. We are incredibly fortunate to have him guiding this narrative through his art.” 

The Duke of Gloucester was given a tour of the site, and met with Hew to talk about the artwork

Locke, a Guyanese-British artist known for his richly layered and politically resonant work, has long explored how societies express power, identity, and memory through visual symbols. His practice often reinterprets emblems of empire – ships, coats of arms, and statuary – to question how narratives are shaped and inherited.  

Commissioned by Tideway as part of its permanent public art programme, Cargoes is a trail of cast bronze boats embedded in the landscape of King Edward Memorial Park. Each vessel is intricately designed, drawing from the maritime heritage of East London and reflects the diverse communities that have lived and worked along the Thames. From a Chinese Junk to a Bangladesh River Boat, the sculptures evoke centuries of trade, migration, and cultural exchange. 

The site itself is one of seven new public riverside spaces being created as part of the Tideway project. Works here were undertaken to intercept the North East Storm Relief combined sewer overflow (CSO), which typically discharged more than 700,000 tonnes of storm sewage into the Thames each year.  

With the super sewer now up and running, spills from this CSO will reduce by more than 90%, virtually eliminating the harmful effects of sewage pollution.