Turner Prize goes to Scottish artist Boyce

LONDON - Scottish artist Martin Boyce, whose works include a modernist reworking of a library table and artificial trees, on Monday won Britain’s Turner Prize at a ceremony in Gateshead.

On picking up the ￡25,000 ($39,100) award at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, the 43-year old paid tribute to his parents and highlighted the importance of teachers in light of the government’s spending cuts.

The Turner is regarded as the art world’s most edgy prize, but the decision to honour Boyce’s atmospheric, large-scale, site-specific installations was an uncontroversial choice.

The Hamilton-born artist takes his inspiration from the modernist giants of the early 20th century, and is known for taking styles found in furniture design and in the urban landscape and reworking them in modern spaces.

Boyce was given the prize by photographer Mario Testino, and used the platform to support the teaching profession.

“All I wanted to do was go to art school,” he said. “I went there and there was the most amazing group of people waiting for me.

“At a time when education has been put though the wringer, I want to acknowledge the value of a successful education and the importance of teachers,” he added.

His entry included three artificial trees, artificial leaves made from wax-coated crepe paper scattered across the gallery’s floor and a leaning litter bin.

Boyce explained that his work explored “landscapes.”

“It’s about passing through the space and the space between the sculptures as much as the sculptures themselves,” he added.

A judge described his work as: “Distinctive for the way that he employs his grammar of forms. Boyce’s sparse, intelligent sculptures evolve each time they are exhibited, exploring new tensions and new contrasts.”

AFP