Dublin film artist Duncan Campbell wins Turner Prize 2014
As the Turner Prize celebrates its 30th year, the 2014 award has been won by video artist Duncan Campbell. The £25,000 prize was presented by British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was nominated for an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave – a film directed by the 1999 Turner Prize winner Steve McQueen.
Campbell’s winning film, It for Others, was first seen at the Scottish Pavilion of the Venice Biennale in the summer of 2013. Born in Dublin in 1972, Campbell now lives and works in Glasgow. He is known for his films regarding controversial figures such as the Irish political activist Bernadette Devlin or the car manufacturer John DeLorean. Campbell’s winning work was inspired by the 1953 film Statues Also Die, which looked at how the meaning of African art and cultural artefacts was changed by displaying them in Western museums.
The judges said the winning work was “an ambitious and complex film which rewards repeated viewing”. They also stated: “We admired his exceptional dedication to making a work which speaks about the construction of value and meaning in ways that are topical and compelling.”
The Turner Prize was established in 1984 and is awarded annually to a British artist, aged under 50, for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of work in the preceding year. The prize is intended to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art and is widely recognised as one of the most important and prestigious awards for the visual arts in Europe. The other artists shortlisted for the 2014 prize – Ciara Phillips, James Richards and Tris Vonna-Michell – were each awarded prizes of £5,000.
The jury applauded the four nominated artists’ commitment and the strength of their artistic practices.
Previous Turner Prize winners include Gilbert & George, Rachel Whiteread and Grayson Perry.
The exhibition is at the Tate Britain until 4th January 2015.
Chris Gilroy
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