Turner Prize 2019

Tuesday, December 3, the Turner Prize 2019 award ceremony took place in the Turner Contemporary art space in Margate, England. For the first time in its history, the Turner Prize was awarded to all the four shortlisted artists together, Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Helen Cammock, Oscar Murillo and Tai Shani.

The four, who never met before, decided to form a collective for the occasion as a claim of solidarity and consideration for the several political upheavals occurring around the world. 

 “At this time of political crisis in Britain and much of the world, when there is already so much that divides and isolates people and communities, we feel strongly motivated to use the occasion of the Prize to make a collective statement in the name of commonality, multiplicity and solidarity—in art as in society.” – they stated to the jury chaired by Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain in London, sided by Alessio Antoniolli, Director of Gasworks, London, and the Triangle Network; Elvira Dyangani Ose, Director of the Showroom Gallery, London; Victoria Pomery, Director of Turner Contemporary; and writer Charlie Porter.

The event marked a milestone in the history of the Turner Prize, initiated in 1984 and considered one of the most reliable indicators of contemporary art trends, but always awarded to individuals. 

Although very different, the four artists’ practices are all joint by the will of defying conventions to address compelling political, gender or racial issues. Their works will be on view until January 12, 2020, at the Turner Contemporary in Margate, England.