New Delhi: Jasleen Kaur has been awarded the Turner Prize 2024, one of the world’s most prestigious visual arts prizes, during a ceremony at Tate Britain in London. Recognised for her solo exhibition Alter Altar, held at Tramway, Glasgow, Kaur used her acceptance speech to deliver a powerful message in support of Palestinian rights.
“I want to echo the calls of the protesters outside. A protest made up of artists, culture workers, Tate staff, students who I stand firmly with. They’ve gathered to make visible the demands of the open letter signed by, when I last checked, 1,310 signatories in just a week calling for you Tate to sever ties with organisations complicit in what the UN and ICJ are finally getting closer to saying is a genocide of the Palestinian people,” Kaur said.
“This is not a radical demand. This should not risk an artist’s career or safety. We’re trying to build consensus that the ties to these organisations are unethical,” Kaur continued, likening it to previous successful campaigns by artists against ties with the Sackler family.
Kaur’s exhibition, curated by Claire Jackson, weaves personal, political and spiritual narratives into a compelling visual and auditory experience. Her installations were praised for their ability to evoke community, cultural inheritance and resilience.
The jury commended Kaur for her innovative storytelling and her ability to create a sense of solidarity and joy through her work. They noted how her exhibition brought together diverse voices and material in unexpected ways, making it a standout among this year’s other three shortlisted artists – Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson and Delaine Le Bas.
Kaur called on cultural institutions to align their actions with the values they promote, urging them to eliminate the divide between political expression within galleries and real-world activism. “I’ve been wondering why artists are required to dream up liberation in the gallery, but when that dream meets life, we are shut down. I want the separation between the expression of politics in the gallery and the practice of politics in life to disappear,” Kaur added.
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Established in 1984 and named after the British painter JMW Turner, the prize aims to foster public debate on new developments in the art world. The £25,000 prize was presented to Kaur by actor James Norton.
Her award-winning exhibition reflected the pluralities of religious and cultural identities. The Turner Prize exhibition, featuring works by all four shortlisted artists, is on view at Tate Britain until February 16, 2025.
Born in Glasgow in 1986, London-based Kaur’s work is deeply rooted in her Sikh heritage and explores themes of cultural identity, community and resistance. Her work delves into cultural memory and the legacy of imperialism, reimagining traditional narratives and challenge inherited myths.
Kaur concluded her acceptance speech with a plea for immediate action. She said, “We needed a ceasefire a very long time ago. We need a proper ceasefire now. Arms embargo now. Free Palestine.”
