The Turner Prize celebrates its 40th year in 2024 – the prize was first awarded in 1984, to artist Malcom Morley, for two oil paintings inspired by a trip to Greece. That win sparked controversy as Morley had been living in New York for more than 20 years – and the Turner Prize hasn’t really stopped provoking the public since.
The Turner Prize represents the changing landscape of British contemporary art in many ways. This year, the exhibition returns to
Tate Britain, and the shortlist – announced earlier this year – features four fascinating artists:
Pio Abad,
Claudette Johnson,
Jasleen Kaur, and
Delaine Le Bas. It’s a scintillating and diverse mix this year, from Le Bas’s savagely beautiful, throbbing immersive installation to the quiet, classical beauty of Johnson’s large-scale paintings and drawings. “All four of them make work that is full of life. They show how contemporary art can fascinate, surprise and move us, and how it can speak powerfully of complex identities and memories, often through the subtlest of details. In the Turner Prize’s 40th year, this shortlist proves that British artistic talent is as rich and vibrant as ever”, Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain and Chair of the Turner Prize jury says.
The Turner Prize 2024 jury is comprised of Rosie Cooper, Director of Wysing Arts Centre, Ekow Eshun, Sam Thorne, Director General and CEO at
Japan House London and Lydia Yee, curator and art historian. The winner will be announced on December 3rd.