THE Turner Prize 2021 has been awarded to Array Collective, it was announced yesterday evening at a ceremony at Coventry Cathedral, in partnership with Tate and Coventry UK City of Culture 2021.
The £25,000 prize was presented by Pauline Black, the lead singer of 2 Tone pioneers, The Selecter, during a live broadcast on the BBC.
A further £10,000 was awarded to each of the other nominees.
This year the Turner Prize exhibition is being held at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry as a highlight of its City of Culture year.
The jury awarded the prize to Array Collective for their hopeful and dynamic artwork which addresses urgent social and political issues affecting Northern Ireland with humour, seriousness and beauty.
The jury were impressed with how Belfast-based Array Collective were able to translate their activism and values into the gallery environment, creating a welcoming, immersive and surprising exhibition.
The jury commended all five nominees for their socially engaged artworks, and how they work closely and creatively with communities across the breadth of the UK.
For the first time, this year’s Turner Prize jury selected a shortlist consisting entirely of artist collectives and artist-run projects: Array Collective, Black Obsidian Sound System, Cooking Sections, Gentle/Radical and Project Art Works.
The members of the Turner Prize 2021 jury are Aaron Cezar, Director, Delfina Foundation; Kim McAleese, Programme Director, Grand Union; Russell Tovey, Actor; and Zoé Whitley, Director, Chisenhale Gallery, with Alex Farquharson, Director, Tate Britain chairing the jury.
Herbert Art Gallery and Museum champions Coventry’s culture, city and arts and is one of the UK’s leading regional museums.
As part of its preparations for City of Culture 2021, the museum underwent a major redevelopment of its gallery spaces in anticipation of the Turner Prize exhibition.
The exhibition of the five shortlisted collectives at The Herbert Art Gallery & Music continues until 12 January 2022 with free entry.
