FORMER Wellington School pupil, Stephen Tucker, has had his artwork ‘X-Ray Refugee’ digitally displayed at Tate Britain. 

The artwork, which shows an x-rayed depiction of a parent carrying their child, was projected onto the walls of the reputable Henry Moore room for a weekend.

Stephen's piece 'X-Ray Refugee' displayed at Tate Britain.
Stephen's piece 'X-Ray Refugee' displayed at Tate Britain. (Stephen Tucker)

The piece is part of Stephen’s broader art series, ‘X-Ray Crises’, which captures life in scenes of international conflict.

In April 2022, numerous pieces from the collection were selected in the Prospect 100’s Global Design Competition for Ukraine. His piece ‘X-Ray Staying to Fight’ reached the top five.

All selected pieces of art were put on auction and the funds raised were donated to support Ukrainian refugees. 

Stephen with numerous pieces of art from his collection 'X-Ray Crises'.
Stephen with numerous pieces of art from his collection 'X-Ray Crises'. (Stephen Tucker)

Stephen said: “It is going to such a great and noble cause, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to be a part of it. 

“I was genuinely blown away and humbled by the level of support I received.”

Many of the works displayed in the collection have covered the Ukrainian war, as well as pieces that portray war in other areas and the controversial political ‘Roe vs Wade’ conflict in the US.

The ‘X-Ray Crises’ is a politically and emotionally charged art collection which has launched Stephen’s career in London. 

The inspiration for the collection comes from a scene of crisis in Stephen’s own life. 

Just after lockdown, Stephen’s mother fell at home and cracked her head. Stephen found her unconscious and with a nearby medic and other family members, performed CPR to save her life. 

After successfully resuscitating his mother, Stephen realised the 'power' in moments of emergency and wanted to use the experience to fuel his artistic aspirations.

He now uses x-ray images to ‘break down the dialogue around conflict’ and help people relate to those suffering. 

He said: “At the end of the day, all of us are the same inside. We’re all humans.”

Stephen with another piece of his artwork.
Stephen with another piece of his artwork, 'MRI-1'. (Stephen Tucker)

Using x-rayed pictures to depict highly emotional, political, and often controversial scenes from around the world helps his viewers understand the more intimate and personal sides of international news.

Due to the political nature of some of Stephen’s artwork, some viewers have tried to ‘cancel’ him, but he emphasises his appreciation for the ‘overwhelming’ support he has received over the past couple of years. 

Stephen is now working on a new future project, for which he is partnered with an ‘exciting’ company. 

He described it as ‘the most ambitious project’ he has done so far, which should come together in the early months of 2025.