Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

David Lister the British Arts Editor for The Independent and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, has published an article in The Independent titled ‘The Turner Prize and its judges have painted themselves into a corner’. Lister states “I have never fully “got” the Turner Prize. This week, as every year, it certainly made a stir and found an interesting winner in Elizabeth Price, a 45-year-old video artist formerly of the eighties pop band Talulah Gosh (I must have been washing my hair during their 15 minutes of fame, because I can’t recall them at all). But with or without memories of Talulah Gosh, the Turner Prize, presented by the statutory celebrity, this year Jude Law, proved again one of the biggest and glitziest events in the arts calendar. …It has a mission. Other arts awards don’t. The Oscars and Baftas don’t have a stated purpose to encourage people to debate and love film. The Comedy Awards don’t solemnly claim that their objective is to get the populace discussing what makes them laugh. But the Turner Prize comes with a mission statement. It professes that it is, “intended to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art”. …two of the four on this year’s shortlist were video artists, the third was a performance artist, and the fourth an artist who drew with a hint of excrement. There was no painter. I suspect that there is still puzzlement in public understanding about video art, just as I suspect there is still puzzlement over why painting is the poor relation in contemporary art. How helpful it would have been this week if the chair of the Turner Prize judges, Penelope Curtis, the head of Tate Britain, had “promoted public discussion of new developments in contemporary art” by addressing that publicly. Is there a crisis in British painting, Penelope? Does that make you sad, as the head of one of the most famous homes of painting in the world? Sure, let’s have the parties, and the prizes presented by actors. But let’s have the real discussion too. Remember that mission statement.”

Inspired by The Independent ow.ly/gdKYA image source Twitter ow.ly/gdKW3

I started making sculptures and never stopped (November 25th)

Karla Black the 38 year old Scottish sculptor renowned for her use of everyday objects in her work has been nominated for the 2011 Turner Prize. Black’s work has been exhibited at various well placed galleries including the Tate Britain, Kunsthalle Nürnberg, and the Saatchi Gallery. Black has a Master of Arts from the Glasgow School of Art, and uses feminine objects in her work including cosmetics, toiletries, textiles and pastel colours. In an interview with Coline Milliard, Black stated “I didn’t study art at school. I left when I was 16 and got a job … I started to read a lot and go to galleries in my late teens … I had a feeling that I wanted to “do” something but I didn’t know what  … I started making sculptures and never stopped.

Inspired by Coline Milliard http://ow.ly/7rMHf image source facebook http://ow.ly/7rMMA

Long gone are the days when I just used to be (October 16th)

Mark Wallinger the 52 year old UK artist, and 2007 Turner Prize winner for his meticulous recreation at the Tate Britain, of peace campaigner Brian Haw’s protest outside of the UK parliament against policies toward Iraq, acknowledges that now the majority of his work comes via commissions or competitions. In an interview with Nicholas Wroe of the Guardian, Wallinger stated, “I admit that long gone are the days when I just used to be in my studio painting, and when I finished one piece I’d just start on another, but things still need to be interesting stepping-off points”. While now settling for work in set design for ballets and opera, Wallinger’s earlier work was noted for its social commentary focusing on social class and nationalism, ultimately winning him the prestigious Turner Prize.

Inspired by Nicholas Wroe http://ow.ly/6KNbe image source theinternational.ae http://ow.ly/6KNjS

Usually involved with images and narrative (October 11th)

Patrick Keiller the 61 year old UK avant garde film-maker and artist, has been selected to undertake an installation of the central space at the Tate Britain. Keiller is renowned for ‘Robinson in Ruins’ film featuring the narration by Vanessa Redgrave. Released in 2010 the film documents the outcomes of a three-year research project titled The Future of Landscape and the Moving Image, the third in the Robinson series. The Tate Britain commission by Keiller will be its latest in an ongoing series of contemporary sculpture commissions which address the heritage of the space as a sculpture gallery. Keiller stated on accepting the commission, “As someone most usually involved with images and the linearity of narrative, I’m delighted by the invitation to devise an exhibit for a sculpture gallery.”

Inspired by Mark Brown http://ow.ly/6KMdB image source bfi.org http://ow.ly/6KMgx