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John Walker
Shortlisted: 1985

John Walker was shortlisted primarily for works he made in the early 1980s, when he explored ways to make images which were not representational but which somehow conveyed the drama of painting. He often uses motifs derived from, or influenced by, sources such as the Bible, but he always resists any narrative interpretation of his work, preferring to emphasis the language of painting rather than its use of images or symbols.

Form and Sepik Mask 1984 Oil on canvas 243.8 x 152.4 cm The artist © the artist Photo: The artist courtesy Nigel Greenwood Gallery, London

John Walker was born in Birmingham, England in 1939 and studied at Birmingham College of Art from 1956 to 1960. He was shortlisted for the Prize in 1985 for his graphic work shown at the Tate Gallery and his exhibition of paintings at the Hayward Gallery.

This information has been taken from The Turner Prize: Twenty Years, by Virginia Button, Tate Publishing, 2003.

View John Walker in the Tate Collection