Helen Marten’s intricate sculptures win the Turner Prize (theatlantic.com).
“Her sculptures create swooping, almost rhythmic structures out of seemingly disconnected objects—suitcases, cotton buds, eggshells, coffee cups—that encapsulate the ephemera of modern life. At first glance it seems haphazard, but Marten’s intention is to create order from disorder: to piece together disconnected fragments into a more intelligible narrative. It’s this archeological approach to documenting an often-bewildering reality that presumably enthralled the judges of this year’s Turner Prize … It’s been a banner year for the 31-year-old sculptor from Macclesfield, England, who also won the Hepworth Prize for Sculpture in November.”
Indeed, bringing memories of when I tried my hand at collaging such detritus when I was much more dark, goth and edgy to predictably find little desire of anyone wishing to see as anything other than angst or personality disorder rather than art, with which I’m much happier to just live within rather than present it now while turning to something less conceptual but easier for an audience to understand—and just as often hate—while not making it the convoluted self statement others assumed.
As has become part of the anti-competition statement (Latest Picks 10th July 2015) in aspiring gallery circles, she intends to share the £25,000 award with her fellow nominees (bbc.co.uk), and good on her for that.
“The London-based artist, who is from Macclesfield, faced competition from Anthea Hamilton, Michael Dean and Josephine Pryde for the prize, the aim of which is to ‘promote public debate around new developments in contemporary art’. The runners-up each receive £5,000.”
Which presumably they will be sharing with her too, or perhaps chap who blew dust off their interpretation of seminal bricks in workshop (independent.co.uk, Apr. 2011).
Recent/related stories
- Turner prize 2016 exhibition review—bleak and baffling, but no bum deal (Latest Picks 28th September 2016)
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