The Turner Prize will be shown at Tate Liverpool in 2007 in the run-up to its year of celebrations as European Capital of Culture in 2008. In its place this autumn, Tate Britain will present an exhibition which celebrates the history of the Turner Prize over the last twenty-three years.
It is the first time the Turner Prize has been held outside London since it began in 1984. The shortlisted artists for the 2007 Turner Prize are Zarina Bhimji, Nathan Coley, Mike Nelson and Mark Wallinger. The exhibition of work by the four shortlisted artists will take place at the Albert Dock Gallery from 19 October 2007 – 13 January 2008. The winner will be announced on 3 December 2007 at Tate Liverpool. 2007 is a special year for Liverpool as it celebrates the 800th anniversary of its charter, signed by King John. The exhibition will be an exciting curtain-raiser for Liverpool European Capital of Culture 2008 which is set to be an exceptional year as the city celebrates its European Capital of Culture status with an outstanding programme of arts events.
The jury for the 2007 Turner Prize is Dr Fiona Bradley, Director of the Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh; Michael Bracewell, writer and critic; Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator at the Studio Museum, Harlem and Miranda Sawyer, freelance broadcaster and writer. Christoph Grunenberg, Director of Tate Liverpool, is Chairman of the 2007 Turner Prize jury.
The exhibition is supported by Arts Council England, Liverpool Culture Company, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Milligan and Tate Members. The Turner Prize 2007 will be awarded to a British artist under fifty for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of his or her work in the twelve months preceding 8 May 2007 (The term British applies to all artists working in the United Kingdom and to British-born artists who may be working abroad.) The Prize was established in 1984 by the Patrons of New Art and is intended to promote public discussion of new developments in contemporary British art.
Tate Britain will explore the history of the Turner Prize with an exhibition of key works by the winning artists against the broader context of each year’s shortlist. Since the mid 1980s the visual arts scene in Britain has changed beyond recognition and as an annual event throughout this period the Turner Prize has both documented and contributed to these developments. Winning artists have included Richard Deacon, Damien Hirst, Howard Hodgkin, Steve McQueen, Malcolm Morley, Gillian Wearing and Rachel Whiteread. Turner Prize: A Retrospective, from 2 October 2007 – 6 January 2008, allows a unique opportunity to reflect upon some of the significant moments in the recent history of British art and the reception of the prize by the press, by artists, and by the public.
The Turner Prize will return to Tate Britain in 2008.
Information and features on the Turner Prize and its history can be found at Tate Online (www.tate.org.uk/turnerprize).