Turner Prize goes traditional

Thursday, 2 June 2005 12:00 AM

Britain's most controversial arts prize has a traditional slant this year, with one of the Turner nominees sticking to still life and landscapes.

The prestigious contemporary art prize goes back to its roots as the oil on canvas painter Gillian Carnegie is shortlisted, with her work more reminiscent of the award's founder JMW Turner than previous controversial entries.

Notorious previous winners include Damian Hurst.

And last year's winner caused uproar from the art world as Jeremy Deller's film about George Bush's hometown was accused of playing to popular political thought.

Four British artists under the age of 50 will compete for the lucrative £25,000 prize, which will be announced on December 5 this year.

Other artists who will be offered the opportunity to create new work for the well-known Turner Prize exhibition held each year at the Tate Britain gallery include the installation artists Simon Starling and Jim Lambie.

Starling's work is characterised by making use of recycled materials while Lambie tends to fill entire rooms with his installations which refer to popular and youth culture.

Darren Almond, who explores the notion of time through film and sculpture, is the fourth member of the shortlist and will be displaying his work alongside that of the others at the exhibition from October 18.

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