The Kingdom of the Blind: activities for school groups Hew Locke

Ever imagined what you would be like as a ruler… ruthless and bloodthirsty or fair and good hearted?

Join a schools tour and workshop based on The Kingdom of the Blind exhibition and explore the collection of a fictional ruler. In this installation by British artist Hew Locke, incredibly ornate figures – some life-size and others monumental – tell the story of this imaginary ruler’s rise to power. Made from hundreds of fake leather handbags, lizards, dinosaurs, plastic flowers, gold chains, dolls and beads, these malevolent and fantastical figures are fascinating to look at up close and as a whole installation.

Interactive tours for primary and secondary school groups will explore how the sculptures are made and what they tell us about the ruler who owns them. Secondary groups will go on to think about wider questions such as what national art collections and symbols of power show us about group identity and pride.Tours are led by artist/teacher Sobia Khan.

In the workshops following the tours, students will make their own collection of artworks with objects from pound shops and market stalls.

How to book
Tour and workshop sessions can be adapted for groups of all ages. Groups are ideally between 10 and 20 students. Sessions are available at 10am or 12.30pm on 9, 10, 16 and 17 October. Each session is for approximately two hours.

Tours of the exhibition without workshops can also be arranged on alternative dates.

Schools will receive documentation of the workshop and all artwork created by the students.