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Mark Leckey wins the Turner Prize 2008
Tuesday 30 September 2008 – Sunday 18 January 2009
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Press release: 1 December 2008
The Turner Prize 2008 has been awarded to Mark Leckey, it was announced at Tate Britain this evening. The £25,000 prize was presented by NickCave. This year’s prize fund is £40,000 with £25,000 going to the winner and £5,000 each for the other shortlisted artists. The event was broadcast live on Channel 4 News.
Mark Leckey was shortlisted for his solo exhibitions Industrial Light & Magic at Le Consortium, Dijon, and Resident at Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, which combine sculpture, film, sound and performance. The jury commended the intelligent, energetic and seductive nature of the work. With wit and originality, Leckey has found a variety of forms to communicate his fascination with visual culture.
The jury stressed the strength of the exhibition at Tate Britain and wished to record their admiration for the outstanding presentations produced by all four artists.
Notes to Editors
The Turner Prize 2008 is awarded to a British artist under fifty for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the twelve months preceding 6 May 2008. (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. The shortlisted artists for 2008 were: Runa Islam, Mark Leckey, Goshka Macuga and Cathy Wilkes.
The members of the Turner Prize 2008 Jury were: David Adjaye, architect and Director, Adjaye Associates; Daniel Birmbaum, Director, Staatliche Hochshule für Bildende Künste, Frankfurt; Suzanne Cotter, Deputy Director and Senior Curator, Modern Art Oxford; Jennifer Higgie, Editor, Frieze; and Stephen Deuchar, Director Tate Britain and Chair of the Jury.
Previous winners are: 1984 Malcolm Morley; 1985 Howard Hodgkin; 1986 Gilbert & George; 1987 Richard Deacon; 1988 Tony Cragg; 1989 Richard Long; 1990 (Prize suspended); 1991 Anish Kapoor; 1992 Grenville Davey; 1993 Rachel Whiteread; 1994 Antony Gormley; 1995 Damien Hirst; 1996 Douglas Gordon; 1997 Gillian Wearing; 1998 Chris Ofili; 1999 Steve McQueen; 2000 Wolfgang Tillmans; 2001 Martin Creed; 2002 Keith Tyson; 2003 Grayson Perry; 2004 Jeremy Deller; 2005 Simon Starling; 2006 Tomma Abts; 2007 Mark Wallinger.
The exhibition of four shortlisted artists is at Tate Britain until 18 January 2009
For further information please contact Helen Beeckmans, Tate Press Office
Call 020 7887 8732 or 020 7887 4939 Fax 020 7887 8729
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