The jury – chaired by director of Tate Britain, Alex Farquharson – commended the 59-year-old Glaswegian for her “bold and compelling work”.
Everything you need to know about Scottish artists Nnena Kalu and the work which has led to her winning the 2025 Turner Prize.
- The Glaswegian artist took home the prize at an award ceremony on Tuesday evening in Bradford, this year’s UK City of Culture. The 59-year-old, who is a resident artist at ActionSpace’s studio which supports learning disabled artists across London at Studio Voltaire, beat fellow shortlisted artists Rene Matic, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa.
- Kalu was awarded the visual arts prize along with £25,000 for her installation Hanging Sculpture 1-10, which Manifesta 15 Barcelona commissioned her to create at a disused power station, and her presentation in Conversations, a group exhibition at Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
- Her vividly-coloured works are created from repeated lines and wrappings of different materials, making nest or cocoon-like forms. The installation consisted 10 large brightly-coloured sculptures that hung from grey concrete pillars of the industrial site.
- Meanwhile for Conversations, Kalu presented work in pen, graphite and chalk pen on two pieces of paper.
- The jury, which was chaired by Alex Farquharson, the director of Tate Britain, commended Kalu’s “bold and compelling work” and praised the “lively translation of expressive gesture” in the abstract sculpture and drawing. The panel also acknowledged her scale, composition and colour, highlighting “the powerful presence” her works have.
- Named after British painter JMW Turner, this year’s prize marked the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth. Established in 1984, the Turner prize aims to promote debate on contemporary British art as well as recognising a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work.
- The winner is awarded £25,000 while the shortlisted artists take home £10,000. The Turner Prize 2026 will be held at MIMA, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.
