Artwork
Dreaming
Dreaming is a print by Locksb. It dates from 2011 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
It’s part of a yearly boxed set made by East London Printmakers, a group that supports artists with space and tools to create print work.
This piece is a print called *Dreaming* by Locksb from 2011. It’s part of a yearly boxed set made by East London Printmakers, a group that supports artists with space and tools to create print work.
The prints help fund the group’s workshops and shows while building an archive of their members’ art. A few sets go to public collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Check out Locksb’s other work next.
Overview
East London Printmakers, founded in 1998 in Hackney, is a member-run collective providing studio access, equipment, and professional support to printmakers. Each year, the group produces a limited-edition boxed set of 30 x 30 cm prints, created collaboratively by its members. Proceeds from sales sustain workshops and artist development, while a small number of sets are donated to public institutions as a record of the collective’s output.
Subject & Meaning
The print titled *Dreaming*, created by Locksb in 2011, reflects a personal, introspective vision typical of the group’s diverse thematic range. Rather than conveying a singular narrative, the work invites quiet contemplation, using abstract or symbolic forms to evoke inner states. Its inclusion in the annual box situates it within a broader dialogue among members, where individual expression contributes to a shared archive of contemporary printmaking.
Technique & Style
Locksb’s *Dreaming* employs traditional printmaking methods, likely relief or intaglio, consistent with the collective’s emphasis on hands-on craft. The composition favors subtle tonal shifts and layered textures over bold imagery, suggesting a restrained, meditative approach. The 30 x 30 cm format, uniform across the annual edition, encourages intimacy and uniformity in presentation, reinforcing the group’s collaborative ethos.
History & Provenance
The 2011 ELP Box, containing *Dreaming*, was one of many annual editions produced since the collective’s founding. Each box functions as both a fundraising tool and an archival project. Copies were distributed to public collections, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, ensuring the work’s preservation beyond private ownership. The box series has continued annually, documenting the evolving practices of East London Printmakers over more than two decades.
Context
East London Printmakers emerged in a period of increasing pressure on artist-led spaces in London. By pooling resources and creating a self-sustaining model, the group resisted commercialization while maintaining creative autonomy. The annual print box became a distinctive response to these challenges—balancing community, accessibility, and documentation in a way that distinguished it from institutional or gallery-based initiatives.
Legacy
The ELP Box series has established a lasting record of independent printmaking in East London, preserving the work of over a hundred artists across more than twenty years. Its donation to public archives ensures long-term accessibility, while its funding model supports emerging practitioners. Locksb’s *Dreaming* remains one of many quiet contributions that collectively define the group’s enduring, non-hierarchical contribution to British print culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
This artist’s prints often picture quiet, dreamy scenes—like in 2011’s Dreaming, where soft edges and muted tones suggest a floating world.
