This year marks the 40-year anniversary of the Turner Prize. It recognises creatives who are spearheading British contemporary art. The submission criteria includes those working primarily in the country, as well as British-born artists working internationally. First awarded in 1984 to photorealist painter Malcolm Morley (b. 1931), The Turner Prize has been given to a remarkable list of trailblazers, including Lubaina Himid (2017), Oscar Murillo (2019), Wolfgang Tillmans (2000), Susan Philipsz (2010) and Steve McQueen (1999). Now, art lovers are excitedly anticipating the announcement of the 2024 winner on 3 December. Before then, the four shortlisted practitioners present their work in a spectacular exhibition that opens today. Claudette Johnson (b. 1959), Delaine Le Bas (b. 1965), Jasleen Kaur (b. 1986) and Pio Abad (b. 1983) share portraits, sculptures and installations that speak to lived experiences and our modern world. This show is truly a cause for celebration, returning to Tate Britain for the first time in six years.
“All artists have a story to tell and in this year’s Turner prize tales of origin and arrival are crucial” says The Guardian’s Andrian Searle. Many of the artists enrich their work by drawing upon personal histories. Jasleen Kaur reflects on her upbringing in Glasgow and the impact of colonialism, asking: “Who’s doing the writing of history? Which things get remembered and which things do not?” Rethinking tradition, she creates sculptures from gathered and remade objects, each animated through an immersive sound composition. Items including family photos, a harmonium, Axminster carpet, kinetic worship bells and a vintage Ford Escort – Sociomobile 2023 – covered with a large cotton doily. Elsewhere, Delaine Le Bas incorporates the rich cultural background of the Roma people. The Romani artist has transformed the gallery into a monumental immersive environment filled with painted fabrics, costume, film and sculpture. Here, pieces like Marley (2023) and Incipit Vita Nova (2023) explore themes of death, dreams and renewal.
Shortlistees are also bringing overlooked histories to light. Pio Abad’s nominated exhibition was originally presented at the Ashmolean Museum and speaks to the colonial loot that fills institutions such as this, the Pitt Rivers and the British Museum. Newly added works include Kiss the Hand You Cannot Bite (2019), which reimagines an Imelda Marcos bracelet as a three-metre concrete sculpture. It’s shown alongside works like I am singing a song that can only be borne after losing a country (2023), a drawing that turns the underside of Powhatan’s Mantle – a Native American robe in the Ashmolean’s collection – into an imagined map of colonised lands. Elsewhere, Claudette Johnson counters the marginalisation of Black people in Western art history in a series of striking figurative paintings. Pastels, gouache, oil and watercolour form the basis of Black women and men who are resting, facing the camera or gazing into each other’s eyes.
“This year’s artists each make vibrant and varied work that reflects not just their personal memories and familial stories, but also speaks to wider questions of identity, myth, belonging and community. Through their varied practices, they offer us a lens through which to reconsider both our tangled histories and our shared futures” says Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain and chair of the Turner Prize jury. This is an apt summary of what unites such distinct subject matter and practices. Each unique display calls for deeper reflection from the viewer. We might ask: Who gets to shape history? How do we navigate the painful realities – like death – that are part of the human experience? What happens to treasures and significant objects that has been stolen from their original owners? And, who do we immortalise through art?
Tate Britain, Turner Prize 2024 | Until 16 February
Words: Diana Bestwish Tetteh
Image Credits:
Tate Britain. Photo Rikard Osterlund
