Live from Tate Britain Turner Prize

Hello, and welcome to Tate Britain, on the banks of the River Thames, in

London, where we will shortly here who is the winner of the 2016 Turner

Prize for contemporary art. Hello, and welcome inside this beautiful

gallery, on the banks of the River Thames. It is very loud, and very

upbeat here tonight, as you might expect, the awards dinner itself is

drawing to a close. In the next ten minutes or so, we will hear from the

director of Tate galleries, and we will find out who has won this year

's prize, which goes to an artist under the age of 50 living and

working in Britain. We will hear about the four short listed artists

this year in just the next few minutes. Joining me here, in this

half-hour special programme, artist and sculptor, Cornelia Parker, thank

you very much for being with us. Short listed herself for the Turner

Prize in 1997. We will be asking for her reflections on this year and

what the prize means. First, we must find out a little bit more about the

short listed artist, so we will go to Rebecca Jones, who is in the

gallery is just nearby at Tate Britain, for more on that. The aim

of the Turner Prize is to provoke debate around developments in

contemporary art and there is no doubt which exhibit has been a big

talking point this year, don't adjust your set, it really is a

giant... Bottom, the work of Anthea Hamilton, it was inspired by a

designer 's idea from the 1970s who wanted to create a doorway into a

posh Manhattan apartment that looked like this, I want you to come and

have a look at the surface of the bottom, because Anthea Hamilton

worked with experts in skin tones at Madame Tisolo macro boss to get

exactly the colour that she wanted. What else do we have here, the walls

are covered in wallpaper, made to look like bricks. -- Madame

Tussauds. This is a suit painted in red bricks, definite echoes I think

of the artist may greet. I'm delighted to say that I'm joined by

one of the curators of the exhibition. -- Magrite. Laura Smith,

we have got to talk about this bottom, talk me through the artistic

merits. The bottom, or butt, because it is American, demonstrates

Anthea's in during interest in research, and design architecture,

it was a model by Italian designer Gaetano Pesce, it was never made,

but happily she was able to make it work here. How does it work with the

bricks and pursued? It was originally made for the sculpture

Centre in New York, a huge, tall, big building, this is a restaging of

that exhibition, and she wanted to retrain the brick wall. We are in

New York. Taking you through to see the work of Helen Martin, at the age

of 31, she is the youngest artist short listed for the Turner Prize,

she is riding the crest of a wave, just a few weeks ago, she won the

inaugural Hepworth prize for sculpture. She is also one of the

favourites to win the Turner Prize tonight. What does she do? She makes

installations out of objects that she has found or that she has made,

come and look at this, I want to show you the kind of thing that we

are talking about, here we have cotton buds, nails, fish skins, and

if you look up there, there is a zip and also a bicycle chain. She uses

these objects to create stories, if you like, visual puzzles, which she

is asking us, the people who come to the exhibition, to try to interpret.

I don't know about you, but I think when people see Helen Marten's work

they might initially be a bit baffled. What is a way into it? What

Helen is trying to do is to bring together elements and excerpts from

everyday visual lives, she talks about the vast grey milkshake of

information that we are bombarded with through social media and

advertising, she wants to take tiny samples of the elements and bring

them together in surprise intricate ways, so that we can invest them

with new meaning, emptying them of their original meaning so that we

can give them new stories and narrative. Doesn't matter if you

understand it, it is enough to experience it. Yes, bring your own

meaning to it. Thank you for your thoughts, there you have it, first

two artists short listed, Helen Martin and Anthea Hamilton.

More to come in the next few minutes from those galleries, let's get the

thoughts of Cordelia Parker, I am fascinated to hear, what difference

did it make to you, being short listed? Huge difference. Night and

day. I was 40 years old, went to Wolverhampton Polytechnic, and I was

teaching in art schools, because that is where I made my living.

After that, I got represented, I spent all my time making work. That

made the difference to you, to making some sort of a living, it is

very difficult for an artist. It helped that much for you? To

difficult work to sell. It got a seal of approval. For me that was

fantastic, struggling for many years. Making work I believed in but

I didn't think had a place in the wider world. They began to collect

my work, it meant I could spend all my time doing it. Suddenly all your

work was out there for a much wider audience, one of the purposes of the

Turner Prize, to get people talking about contemporary art, do you think

it succeed? It has been all right the debate, because works are

highlighted, one of them wins, people debate whether they think the

work is up to it. In a way, it gives an airing every year to four artist

who may be on the cutting edge of art. You and I will have more of a

chat in the coming minutes, particularly once we find out who

has one, thank you very much, Cornelia Parker, for now, stay with

us. We will head back into the galleries. Rebecca is in there,

looking at the other two artists on the short list. Rebecca, back to

you. I want to introduce you now to the work of Michael Dean, Michael is

the only male artist to be short listed this year, and his work is

very much inspired by his upbringing on a council estate in Newcastle

upon Tyne. When you walk in his room, it is slightly reminiscent of

a builders yard, slabs of corrugated iron, concrete and steel everywhere.

The real star of the show is this huge amount of money. It is a very

specific amount, ?20,436, in 1p pieces. The amount is significant,

because that is the amount the UK Government says a family of four

needs to live on, the minimum amount, in this country. Michael

Dean has removed 1p, thus plunging this family of four affectively

below the poverty line. I'm delighted to say that I am joined by

the lead curator of the Turner prize exhibition, Lindsay young. Thank you

for being with us. This is clearly the most overtly political work in

the exhibition this year, what has been the response to it? A huge

response, we have lots of different platforms, people on Instagram and

Twitter, and I think that people are talking about having a really

profound reaction to this work. -- Linsey Young. It is unusual for an

artist to talk about poverty and class and how that affects people,

it has really been quite profound and emotional. What are the sorts of

things people have said? One that said, Michael Dean for Prime

Minister! That shows the huge amount of support for his work, and for an

artist who is speaking politically. That sort of thing, very positive

statements. Come with me, I want to show you the work of the final

artist short listed for the Turner Prize this year, Josephine Pryde,

Josephine Pryde, at the age of 49, is the oldest artist to be short

listed, born in Northumberland, she lives and works in bowling, she is a

professor of photography. As you enter her space, you can see the

wall is covered with a series of photographs of dutifully manicured

hands. All of them touching various objects, perhaps smartphones,

tablets. Over here, another series, these are kitchen worktops, what

Josephine Pryde did, she put objects on them, when she took them off, the

sun had left a shadow, almost like a photographic negative on those

worktops. Here, down the centre of the room, this, a miniature train.

When Josephine Pryde has shown this train in previous exhibitions, it

has moved, but not here, at the Tate, in London. Why is that? She is

an artist interested in contact, and what happens when you put art into

different places, she wanted to explore the idea of pride. Joining

the Women's Institute and you make jam, you put it on the table for

contemplation and she is offering up a prize here. A prize object. -- she

wanted to explore the idea of prize. How does the train link? When

previously debited, you could sit on the train and you could be carried

past a much longer series of photographs, in bigger rooms, it was

a proper journey that you could go on. This time, she has stopped the

train and put it on a platform that is therefore everyone. A prize

object. No truth in the rumour that it stopped here because of leaves on

the line(!) it is a good line! Too good not to be true, or to be true,

perhaps. Thank you. The work of Josephine Pryde and Michael Dean,

you have now seen the work of all four artists short listed for the

Turner Prize, who is going to win? We will find out the answer very

shortly, because Nicholas Roto will take to the stage very shortly, to

make the introductory speeches, and we will learn from the poet and

novelist, then crew, he has the pleasure of announcing the winner

here, which of those four young short listed artists will it be? --

Nicholas Serota. Here is the chair of Tate Galleries.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to join Alex

Farquharson, as director of Tate Britain, and chair of the jury, in

welcoming you to Tate Britain is even in for the 2016 Turner Prize. I

want to thank members of the jury, and all the artists for making an

outstanding exhibition here at Tate Britain. Tate Britain, the home of

British art, from the Renaissance, to the present day. And the artists

here this evening, Michael Dean, Anthea Hamilton, Helen Marten,

Josephine Pryde am I want to thank you for the commitment you have

shown in making this really strong exhibition. What is so powerful

about this year 's prize, both for the artists and for their work, is

how diverse it is. These four artists work in different ways, very

different media, taking a range of ideas and issues, from the poetic,

to the political. And this year's nominees are not just the best

emerging talents here in the UK, they are artists, all of them, who

show their work around the world, and who already have international

reputations. The strength of the Turner Prize is that it encourages

us to think about the world in new ways. And at a time when there are

fears that we in the UK may be becoming more insular, and more

inward looking as a nation, the Turner Prize reminds us that art

opens us to new ideas. We need to encourage such openness in a society

that faces many challenges. In recent years, the arts have become

part of our reputation, and even our DNA as a nation. We need to build on

this strength, by insuring that the arts are pushed not to the margin,

but play a central role in our schools, that we should have vital

art schools, that the arts and humanities should be a major element

in universities. And in lifelong learning. APPLAUSE

As everyone in this room is aware, creativity is the key to our future

in every sphere of life. And speaking of creativity, I'm

delighted to introduce poet, novelist, Ben Okri. To present 2016

Turner Prize. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

There are those who make art, and there are those who make art

possible. Nicholas Serota has been one of the greatest artistic

catalysts in this country. He has guided not only the Tate but the art

spirit of this nation through astonishing times. I feel this is a

poignant moment in the world of art. It is a moment when Nicholas Serota

steps down from the Tate. When he joined 28 years ago, the art world

was small, and the attitude to modern art was one of this trust.

Now, 28 years later, we are a nation of art lovers and argue is about

art. -- arguers. The UK is the prime destination for art tourism.

Nicholas Serota has helped us recognise the importance of art and

helped us realise that art can be for everybody. That was a tribute.

We find ourselves... INAUDIBLE LAUGHTER

We are artists, we break the script! LAUGHTER

We find ourselves in an increasingly dangerous world. Similars Asians

never grow great on fear, and a shotgun of the heart. They only grow

great on confident visions that expand the possibilities of man and

woman. That is why I feel the arts are so special. They speak to the

genius in each person, and to the rich, imaginative future that we can

create together. Art dreams of possibilities that become real. It

seems to me that we are losing the power of dreaming. But nations are

renewed by the richness of their dreams, the greatness of their

hopes, and the mastery of their practice. It is the art of nations

that renew the greatness of nations. I feel art is the biggest country in

the world. It is a country of the heart and the imagination. A

continent of dreams. It keeps no one out, and excludes nobody. It is

governed by generosity and genius. Openness and wonder. Now that the

boundaries are narrowing and hearts are hardening and humanity is

becoming more constricted, I feel we need art more than ever to remind us

that the world, too, is our collective work of art and that we

should dream it with greatness of heart and bigness of spirit. Now, we

come to the best part of the evening. I'm very proud to announce

the winner of the Turner Prize for 2016 is... Helen Marten. APPLAUSE

Well. I was not expecting to be here! I guess it is hard to retain a

sense of articular in these situations but I will give it a go.

Thank you for a brilliant speech, -- thank you for bringing speeches.

I was lucky enough to grow up with a liberal outlook and a pleural

outlook and that degree of support and fostering of a very creative and

emotional upbringing was deeply important to me. -- sense of

articulacy. But this is not so much the case today that our global

outlook is becoming ever more precarious. As Ben and Nic have

thought about. From the stripping of arts and writing in school

syllabuses, to far right groups gaining visible and frightening

political platforms for xenophobic, homophobic and racist outlooks, on

the world, I think as artists today, and as people in this environment,

we are deeply, deeply privileged to be sitting here, with a community

whose lifeblood is a sort of diversity and exuberant. In light of

that, I would like to say that I cannot think of a more brilliant and

exciting short list of artists to be part of. Thank you for that. --

exuberance. Thank you, Tate, for your tolerance and easy as for all

of us. All of my friends and who cannot be here today, we could not

do any of this without you, so thank you. Yes, thank you. APPLAUSE

30 years old, from Macclesfield, Helen Marten, any congratulations,

do you mind saying a few words for BBC News. You said you did not think

you would be very articulate but you blew us all away with your very

passionate speech, what a year for you, after winning the Hepworth

prize, as well. It has been quite a year, I am very happy to usher in

2017. Can you even begin to think about what it means, winning the

inaugural Hepworth prize for sculpture, and now the 2016 Turner

Prize, what will it mean for you and your work in the future? It is an

absolute honour to be here, with a group of friends whose work I admire

so deeply. -- friends and peers. I hope this has no affect on me

whatsoever and I can continue in my work in a hermetic bubble! Winger

Turner Prize will inevitably push you out onto a national stage, if

not wider than that. -- winning the Turner Prize. Is that something you

welcome? Whenever there is a fiscal value, there will be about verbally

attached, and I hope I can stay outside of that to a certain extent.

And continue with what you love doing? With the kind of friends and

other artists, critics, curators, galleries, who support me, I hope to

continue that. I was interested that you picked up some of the themes in

the words of Nicholas Serota. -- gallerists. There has been talk in

the room about the state of Britain and the world in 2016, I got the

sense that is something about which you feel ashen elite. The world

rolls from one crisis to another, the very least that we can do is not

the passive bystanders and be responsible for daily outlook. Acts

of tolerance and empathy in our daily lives, that is something for

me. Many congratulations, great to see you, thank you very much. Helen

Marten, as I reflected, what then is the ordinarily year for her, winning

that inaugural Hepworth prize. And now, at the age of 30, winning the

Turner Prize. Let's reflect on this years award, what Cornelia Parker,

previous short lister, thinks of it all, and what Cornelia things of

that, you were smiling and clapping and cheering. Almost like an

anti-populist vote. There is something about the inner workings

of an artist, that still has a place in the world. I'm very happy, worthy

winner. Director of the Whitechapel Gallery, very interesting speech.

She has really stated the position of us all, which is that we want to

be open, we want to be embracing different cultures, we want to

embrace a culture and a language of openness. There are hundreds of

narratives that she sets of, you can see this molecular idea of art and

life. And then standing back from it. The openness, that is the key to

her work and our future. Very good to have your thoughts.

Helen Marten is the winner of the Turner Prize. For her work in New

York and at the Venice be a With evening, cold out there for

many of you, the frosty nights and frosty mornings will soon be

numbered, the temperature trend for Oxford, each subsequent day and