Reflections on the 2024 Turner Prize
“Having been an art student in the 90s, the Turner Prize excites me still. This said, I do have some reservations around this annual high-profile art project.”
Did you know, one of the most iconic visual art prizes - the Turner Prize - turned 40 in 2024? It's awarded annually to an artist who is working primarily in Britain or an artist born in Britain, working globally.
Every year, four artists are shortlisted from an exhibition or other presentation of their work that is considered to be outstanding. Tate then selects a panel of judges from gallery directors, curators, critics and writers, which is chaired by Alex Farquharson - Director at Tate Britain.
I visited the 2024 Turner Prize exhibition at Tate Britain in November, just ahead of the winner announcement.
Having been an art student in the 90s, the Turner Prize excites me still. It has always been considered a British showcase of cutting edge contemporary art practice, and it brings exciting artists and artworks to the attention of more folk.
This said, I do have some reservations around this annual high-profile art project. As an advocate for 'art for all’ and accessibility not being a class issue, I remain dubious as to how accessible some of the Turner Prize work is to those outside of the arts bubble. I think many are cynical of its value, and this limits audience engagement to the culture buffs and art students of this world. That’s an another article for another day.
However, this year's show was notably a real mix.
The 2024 shortlisted artists were Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Jasleen Kaur, and Delaine Le Bas.
Abad's work features drawings, etchings, and sculptures that bring a new perspective to artifacts from British museums, connecting them to more familiar everyday objects and modern day living.
Johnson creates large-scale striking portraits in pastel, gouache, and watercolour as a perspective on the marginalisation of Black people.
Kaur's work is installation-based, with everyday objects hinting at tradition and culture alongside the mundane, accompanied by movement, sound and melody.
Le Bas creates fully immersive spaces with painted cloth, drapes, and handmade objects, weaving in themes of death, loss and renewal.
I had two favourites - neither of them won but they chimed the most with me.
Claudette Johnson.
I adore great portraiture, and Claudette Johnson's work captivated me. The bold expressions, striking marks, and sense of movement and softness she achieves are quite something. Her subjects are oversized in the frames, appearing cut off or squashed in, and her choice of colour - or lack of it - is an intentional part of each piece. For me, this was one of the most accessible of the four exhibitions, too.
Claudette Johnson.
The other winner of my heart was Delaine Le Bas. The way the rooms were transformed into stage-like sets took me back to my days working in theatre. I'm always fascinated by art we experience from being within and a part of it. As I moved through the rooms I noticed how the mood shifted based on the changes in lighting, colour, and the styles of marks on the huge hanging cloths around me - some felt angry, rough and raw; others more gentle and warm, akin to a soothing child’s nursery environment.
Delaine Le Bas.
I felt like the installation took a hold of my hand and walked me through the rooms and a story, throwing in a few points of reflection to take on into my day. I enjoyed it, I found within it my own understanding of it, and I thought it was innovative and a clever use of space.
Delaine Le Bas.
All this said, it was Jasleen Kaur who won in the end. I cannot deny, I did enjoy her red Ford Escort covered in an oversized doily, which did strike some nostalgia in me.
Jasleen Kaur.
I may not have ‘picked’ the winner, but that’s fine. That’s not what I was trying to do. I don't claim to have even a fraction the expertise of the esteemed judges invited onto the Turner Prize panel, but this seems a good time to remind everyone that the true joy of art is whatever you, individually, find within it.
The Turner Prize 2024 exhibition runs at Tate Britain, London, until 16th February 2025.