Tate Britain officials revealed today that Jesse Darling, Ghislaine Leung, Rory Pilgrim and Barbara Walker have been shortlisted for the prestigious Turner Prize. The Concept Art Prize, one of the best known in the world, has frequently polarized public opinion regarding the groundbreaking work created by nominees. The works of the four artists shortlisted for the 2023 prize will be exhibited at Towner Eastbourne in East Sussex from 28 September; the winner will be announced on December 5. The prize comes with a scholarship of £25,000 ($31,000), with each finalist receiving £10,000 ($12,500).
Darling has been nominated for the exhibitions ‘No Medals No Ribbons’ at Modern Art Oxford and ‘Enclosures’ at Camden Art Centre. Based between London and Berlin, Darling is known for her sculptures and installations exploring the vulnerability of the human body and the fragility of power structures. Swedish-born, London-based Leung was chosen for her ‘Fountains’ exhibition in Simian, Copenhagen, in which she deployed a baby monitor, toys and child gates to explore labor issues, particularly those surrounding the roles of mother and artist.
Pilgrim was selected for his “Rafts” exhibition at the Serpentine and Barking Town Hall, and for a live performance of the eponymous work at Cadogan Hall in London which blended performance, sound and film to examine community and mental health in relation with the Covid-19 pandemic, earning praise from the jury as an “outstanding example of social practice”. Walker, whose work centers on issues of racial identity, marginalization and power, was nominated for her exhibition “Burden of Proof.” Shown at Sharjah Biennale 15, which featured massive portraits of members of the Windrush Generation.
“The Turner Prize always offers the public a glimpse of British artistry today,” Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain and chairman of the jury for the prize, said in a statement. “These artists each explore the contrasts and contradictions of life, combining conceptual and political concerns with warmth, playfulness, sincerity and tenderness, and often celebrating individual identity and the strength of community.”
