"For the first time, an artist with learning disabilities has won. Glasgow-born Nnena Kalu took the award for her colourful, cocoon-like sculptures made from VHS tape, clingfilm and other abandoned materials, along with her large swirling vortex drawings. Kalu is autistic, with limited verbal communication. In an acceptance speech on her behalf, Kalu's facilitator, Charlotte Hollinshead, said that a very stubborn glass ceiling had been broken."
"Kalu's win is a high-profile symbol of a shift towards greater inclusivity that has been happening in the UK arts world over the past five years. Last month, Beyond the Visual opened at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, in which everything is curated or created by blind and partially sighted artists. The exhibits range from Moore sculptures (which visitors are encouraged to touch) to David Johnson's 10,000 stone-plaster digestive biscuits stamped with braille."
Nnena Kalu, a Glasgow-born autistic artist with limited verbal communication, won the Turner Prize for colourful, cocoon-like sculptures made from VHS tape, clingfilm and other reclaimed materials, alongside large swirling vortex drawings. The win acts as a visible sign of increased inclusivity across the UK arts sector. Recent initiatives include Beyond the Visual at the Henry Moore Institute curated and created by blind and partially sighted artists, Design and Disability at the V&A South Kensington, a 2021 Turner shortlist of artists' collectives including Project Art Works, a 2022 disabled-artist takeover (WAIWAV), and a MIMA residency and show for disabled curators and artists.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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