Will Hughes (They/Them) work deals with concepts of aspiration, queerness and glamour. Glamour is a spell which is cast, a blur, it is transformative and seductive they believe, 'You can be too boring, but you can never be too seductive.' Donatella Versace tells us. They are interested in how the recreation of form through casting, layering and bejewelling affects an object's cultural capital. They use lyrics as titles to reference pop culture and obscure contexts, social and material histories to weave personal narratives which simmer below a veil of glossy, shiny surface.

Will Hughes was born in Leicester, England in 1993 and is based in Stockton-on-Tees. They graduated from a BA in Fine Art from Bath Spa University in 2018 and was awarded the Kenneth Armitage Foundation, Graduate Award. Following a years studio fellowship at spike island in Bristol, Will moved to the North east in 2019 to study an MFA at the BxNU institute (Baltic and Northumbria University). In 2021 Will was artist in residence at BB15 in Linz, Austria and in 2024 were artist in residence at Lightpool festival in Blackpool. Career highlights include being selected for the YSI Sculpture Network 2022 and in 2023 was a Nominated Recipient of the Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award. Solo exhibitions include 'La La La, La La La La La, La La La, La La La La La’ at Abingdon Studios Project Space, Blackpool in 2023 and ‘Marea' at GS Artists, Swansea in 2021. In 2025 they have been selected as Tees Valley Visual Artist of the Year and will receive a living wage as well as career development support.

They are a founding Director of Sawdust A community-led creative placemaking & fabrication studio who use woodwork, art, and events to reimagine how public space can be shaped, shared, and celebrated across Teesside. In 2025 Will was named one of the 5 Tees Valley Visual Artists of the Year.

contact: willhughesartist@gmail.com
https://www.willhughesartist.com

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