Turner Prize shortlist includes Iraqi artist Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa's work at Sharjah Biennial

The National

23-04-2025

The shortlist for this year's Turner Prize has significant regional representation, with an artist from Iraq and work from the Sharjah Biennial both nominated for the prestigious award. Mohammed Sami has been shortlisted for After the Storm, his solo exhibition at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England. The Iraqi painter is known for his sprawling, vibrant scenes that are often devoid of human presence. His depictions of empty dining tables and bedrooms serve as poignant representations of exile, showing how everyday objects trigger memories and feelings of loss. His work springs from his own experiences as a refugee. After the Storm ran at Blenheim Palace between July and October 2024. Sami produced a new series of works for his solo exhibition, blending personal history with that of Blenheim Palace, which was built in the early 18th century. The castle was presented by Queen Anne to the First Duke of Marlborough after this victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and was where Winston Churchill was born. As such, the castle is a monument to military triumph. The castle is filled with portraits and narrative artworks, themes contrasted in Sami's work, which allude to absence and the consequences of war. A presentation from the 2025 Sharjah Biennial has also been nominated for the Turner Prize. The work was created by Korean-Canadian artist Zadie Xa, in collaboration with Spanish artist Benito Mayor Vallejo. It features several disparate elements, including a chandelier-like piece that takes cues from wind chimes made from seashells and rattles from Korean shamanic traditions. It comprises more than 1,000 brass bells that are arranged in the shape of a conch shell. The artwork is part of a room-filling installation called Moonlit Confessions Across Deep Sea Echoes: Your Ancestors Are Whales, and Earth Remembers Everything. One of the highlights is a mixed-media artwork that features a surreal scene that visualises the title of the presentation, with whales swimming atop an arid landscape. Other shortlisted artists include Scottish multimedia artist Nnena Kalu, who has been nominated for her installations at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool and Manifesta 15 in Barcelona. The vibrant sculptures are made of disparate materials, including paper, textiles, cellophane and tape. Finally, Rene Matic is in the running for As Opposed to The Truth, a solo exhibition at CCA Berlin. The exhibition by the UK artist presents personal photographs alongside installations and sound. Works by all four shortlisted artists will be presented in an exhibition at the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford from September 27 to February 22. The winner of the annual prize will be announced during a ceremony in Bradford on December 9. The first place winner will receive £25,000 ($33,334), whereas runners-up will be awarded £10,000 each. Last year's winner of the prize was Jasleen Kaur. The UK artist famously called for a ceasefire in Gaza as she accepted the prestigious art award at a ceremony in London. The annual Turner Prize, named after the landscape painter J M W Turner, is awarded every other year at the Tate Britain. Venues outside London host the award-winning ceremony during alternate iterations.