Hugo McCloud

Hugo McCloud makes large-scale “paintings” and sculptures from unconventional materials—including heated black tar, aluminum sheeting, and found single-use plastic bags—as he explores themes of class, decay, labor, race, and global culture in the context of the urban environment. Additionally, McCloud has made abstractions inspired by his biracial identity and working-class roots. The artist’s spare, bright forms and architectural compositions are also influenced by his background in industrial design. His pieces draw attention to the divisions between man and the environment and to our impact on the natural world. McCloud has exhibited in New York, Los Angeles, London, Turin, Seoul, and Singapore. His work belongs in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Detroit Institute of the Arts, and the Nasher Museum of Art.