For the first time, a neurodivergent artist with a learning disability has won one of the most prestigious international art prizes!
To mark the 250th anniversary of its namesake William Turner, the jury of the Turner Prize, considered one of the most important international art prizes, made a bold and groundbreaking decision: On December 9th, the highly endowed prize went to the artist Nnena Kalu, who, as an autistic person, works in a cultural institution for people with learning disabilities in London.
The media have been raving ever since: „She is different and yet she succeeds“ (Berliner Zeitung), „Courageous and gripping“ (Euronews), „Like a typhoon“ (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
The decision is seen as a signal and a turning point for the international art world, as Alex Farquharson, chairman of the jury and director of Tate Britain, is quoted in the Guardian: "Because she is a neurodiverse artist and her verbal communication is limited, she would have been someone who would have been left out in the past."»
Kalu, the daughter of Nigerian parents, was born in Glasgow in 1966. Her vividly colored, large-format drawings with powerful, rhythmic lines, as well as her colorful hanging sculptures in cocoon-like forms, made from found pieces of fabric and wrapped with VHS tapes, are a fascinating expression of her neurodiversity.
ActionSpace, the London institution where Nnena works and creates, supports young people and adults with learning disabilities across London, providing them with access to creative studios and professional guidance to develop as artists. ActionSpace also ensures that artists with learning disabilities are seen and heard and fully integrated into the world of visual arts.
Further information about Nnena Kalu and ActionSpace here