The Turner Prize returns to Tate Britain this week which means I’ll get to see it. That never happens in the alternate years when it cycles through different hosts around the country. Selfishly I prefer when it’s in my own backyard but it’s hard to argue against the cultural benefits of a national tour. That exposure, however, puts additional focus on a core question: does art need an award?
Awards imply competition, but artistic disciplines like music, poetry, sculpture and painting rarely compete in a traditional sense. In ancient Greece they were part of the Olympics. Pharrell Williams is advocating to have them reinstated and I’d be lying if I wasn’t curious about how such an event would be structured and then analysed by Clare Balding. The Sky Arts Artist of the Year contest is one possible template, but contemporary art is often so polarising that I suspect we’re more likely to end up with the art world equivalent of Raygun.
The Turner prize is named after J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), a painter whose artistic competitiveness with John Constable (1776-1837) was so intense it’s still being analysed today. Both were English landscape painters, but today’s prize is notably awarded to “a British artist who has created an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work”. Tate defines ‘British’ as an artist working primarily in Britain or an artist born in Britain but working globally, which is a convenient way to widen the candidate pool. Although the more contentious issue might be that there are no restrictions on medium.
There’s just over 100 European art awards and the vast majority focus on a specific discipline. The Turner is open to anything and everything and that’s why it’s frequently controversial. How do you compare a sculpture to a painting? In 2001 Martin Creed won for his submission Work No. 227: The lights going on and off — an empty room in which the lights literally did what the title says. That’s the kind of conceptual art that normally gets ignored, except when it’s awarded a substantial sum of money. This year’s winner will receive £25k. The runners-up receive £10k each.
Not insignificant sums, but there’s even more money to be won if that’s why you’re in it. The David and Yuko Juda Art Foundation awards £50k to one artist annually, and in 2019 a Japanese financial services company gave US$1 Million to Doris Salcedo, although it doesn’t seem like they’ve awarded anything since. In fact, scanning the jackpots on this list of 20 significant art prizes might be the best way to convince your parents that art school is a viable option after all!
Whatever you think of awards there’s two important aspects to consider. The first is how they benefit the recipient. In the art world especially, being given a five figure sum is a life changing event that can fundamentally impact an artist and their ability to advance their practice. The second is recognition. Not just for the artist, but for the industry itself. Arguably, these awards are not really about the individual that wins but about bringing wider public recognition, attention and visitor interest to the galleries, museums and cultural host venues. Only one individual goes home with a shiny new trophy, but the entire ecosystem wins.
As for me, this week I’m awarding “must-see” status to four shows in the Roundup.
Issue 125
Four must-see shows. Don’t miss these! Featuring: Olivia Sterling and Lydia Pettit at Guts Gallery; Antonio Tarsis at Carlos/Ishikawa; Tracey Emin at White Cube; Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum at Barbican Curve. Plus two more Honourable Mention Artworks.
Read the full issue online for mini-reviews of each show, with 34 photos!
More Reviews:
Here a long review of another show I quite liked. It’s still open!
On Folding Ground @ Night Café
Art or artefact? That’s the question I ask on entering the gallery.
What else, and what didn’t make the cut?
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IF YOU’RE IN THE AREA… Here’s a half dozen more shows you might like:
Jessie Stevenson at Berntson Bhattacharjee: I loved the big ones framed within reclaimed wood structures. All the other ones? Not so much.
The Stars Fell on Alabama at Edel Assanti: An unofficial extension to last summer’s ‘Souls Grown Deep’ at the RA, and the recent Lonnie Hollie show at Camden Art Centre. If you liked those, see this.
Frieze Sculptures: Not as crazy or weird (or, dare I say it, fun?) as some previous years, but there’s a lot of experimental things happening including sound and performances.
Yelena Popova at Ione & Mann: An exceptional hang makes a series of samey-samey works dynamic and engaging.
Vital Force at October Gallery: Some stunning pieces but this group show feels more like a stop-gap display than a properly thought through exhibit.
Urs Fischer at Sadie Coles attempts to hammer home that the world is messy and chaotic and overflowing with things, with work that is messy and chaotic and much less interesting to look at than the vinyl floor he designed to cover the entire gallery.
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NOPE — you can give these shows a skip:
Herald St / Maureen Paley — Half a motorcycle? A used butcher’s cutting board given a title and hung on a wall? A wooden horse with flashing LED tail? There’s so many frustrating conceptional works that they spread the show across two venues.
Hollybush Gardens — Highly skilled pencil drawings that don’t really deliver the intrigue or eroticism they imply. Maybe it’s the medium?
Nicoletti — A gorgeous new space, but I tuned out once I’d learned the artist outsourced all the artworks, except for the drawings. It’s a shame he didn’t adhere to the phrase “In for a penny…”
Pi Artworks — Felt like a student show. A few interesting works, and… that’s it.
The Perimeter — Empty eyed, soul sucked bodies contort and embrace, but in pleasure or pain? The latter. Oh wait, that was just me.
Public Gallery — I spent more time shouting “Let’s get ready to Rummmbllleee…” into the vintage boxing ring microphone than I did looking at the artwork.
Rose Easton — I get annoyed when artists intentionally make it hard to see their imagery. Screenprint on mirrored steel? Grrr. I quite liked the poem, though.
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NOW ENDED — I also managed to visit Bermondsey Project Space, Fitzrovia Gallery, Gallery Rosenfeld, Greatorex St and Kristin Hjellegjerde but those shows have now ended and this newsletter is already too long.
Anonymous Art Anecdotes
One of the galleries that I frequent has a secondary display space that isn’t obvious or signposted. So they always, always, make a point of mentioning it to their guests, including me on a recent visit. I’ve been there eight times so you’d think they’d know me by now and not remind me. Especially since this isn’t one of those places where I haven’t yet introduced myself.
About a year ago they had a work on display that I absolutely fell in love with. I spent a lot of time talking to the gallerist about it. I asked them to send me the price and the artist’s bio. I gave them my phone number and email and reiterated how interested I was. And of course I received… nothing. So I sent them a follow-up email and I never got a reply. Then I sent them a DM on Instagram, which I could see that they had read. Again, no reply.
Often in the art world it’s not about what you want to buy. It’s about who they want to sell it to.
Looking ahead…
A few things I’m gonna try to see this week:
Pearls of Colour @ D Contemporary — 24 Sept - 12 Oct
Parked @ St John’s Garden — 25-29 Sept
Turner Prize 2024 @ Tate Britain — 25 Sept - 16 Feb, 2025 (£)
Catriona Robertson @ The Muse Gallery — 26 Sept - 20 Oct
Zhan Chong @ Union Pacific — 26 Sept - 26 Oct
Yu Hong @ Lisson Gallery — 27 Sept - 09 Nov
Here’s a few options to help you limber up your “fair game” for Frieze:
British Art Fair @ Saatchi Gallery — 26-29 Sept
New Artist Fair @ Truman Brewery — 27-29 Sept
Roy’s Art Fair @ OXO Tower Bargehouse — 27-29 Sept
The Gallery Entry Game
How many of you are actively looking before you walk in the gallery?
Here’s this week’s challenge. The entry is via the door next to Domino’s.
Good luck! The answer will be in next week’s newsletter.
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Last week’s gallery was… Guts! Only 50% of you knew or guessed correctly, but it’s a great time to get familiar with this Hackney Downs venue. Their latest show, Bitches in Heat, is one of the four must-see options in this week’s Roundup.
Do you want 1 weekly email or 2?
Due to a technical mishap last week I had to send a separate, 2nd email to enable everyone to play The Gallery Entry Game. Participation doubled! So that got me thinking… should I extract the game and send it as a separate Friday email each week?
What do you think? Please let me know in the comments.
Hi Darren, I don’t usually take the time to comment but it doesn’t mean I don’t thoroughly enjoy your reviews and tips. Please keep going for another 2 years when I will retire and while I will have time to visit many shows I won’t be in your league of your weekly count! I would like a Friday quiz to answer you question. Also liked your thoughts on Art Awards in today’s. Made me think about the Turner prize a little differently! Best Carolyn
Maybe some people follow the link to read the full issue and don't come back to read the rest of the post, which includes the entry game? I read it all in the first instance but would check in on a second email also.