Hugo McCloud’s work deals with ideas around value, labour and social economics. Using his background in industrial design, Hugo McCloud draws inspiration in objects that are often overlooked, creating a new artwork from items that are usually discarded, disregarded or devalued, and thus encouraging the viewer to uncover beauty in the overlooked and abandoned. McCloud’s recent body of work presents portraits of porters, recyclers and labour force workers, encountered throughout the artist’s many travels. McCloud’s stylistic portrayals of the loads carried by his subjects demand compassion, sympathy, and, more importantly, respect from the viewer. His beautiful portraits are brought to life by fusing layers of internationally-sourced plastic bags with heat and careful precision.

In 2015, McCloud was the subject of solo exhibitions at The Arts Club, London and at Fondazione 107, Turin. McCloud was most recently featured in the group exhibition, A Constellation at The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York.