Locke himself explores how different cultures fashion their identities through symbols of authority in his sculptures, which have transformed Tate Britain’s Duveen Galleries and the facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Armada, his flotilla of 45 boats festooned with everything from mass produced plastic toys and decorations to jewels, charms and military badges, is currently suspended from the ceiling at the Royal Academy – a standout work in the exhibition Entangled Pasts.

Says Locke of Cheung’s work: “It is rare to see a contemporary artist who is equally knowledgeable and comfortable within both Chinese and Western cultures and histories, referencing art history and global financial narratives. His personal background and genuine sensitivity enable Cheung to play with images and ideas that in the hands of a less perceptive artist could be clumsy. The work is beautiful and radiates energy, being both playful and political. He is an artist reaching the height of his powers.”

Cheung’s family heritage has played a big influence on his work. He says: “My ancestors are from two of the oldest villages in Hong Kong and I can trace my clan heritage back 29 generations. In the 1960s my parents emigrated and in ‘75, I was born in London. Growing up in-between cultures inspires me to search my roots while reflecting on the human condition in an increasingly technologised world within the rise and fall of civilisations.”

The artist roams happily between media, constantly evolving his work. He is currently casting new sculptures in bronze and working with marble in Pietrasanta, Italy, alongside 3D printing in porcelain in Jingdezhen, China, and developing a NFT collection using AI technology. But research into historical subjects and geopolitics forms the backbone of his work, which he “weaves into its aesthetics”, as he puts it.

Catch his work Art Basel Hong Kong (26-30 March), where it will be shown by Almine Rech, Richard Koh and Galerie du Monde.