Pio Abad explores his Philippino heritage and the colonial authority that British museums have over Indigenous artifacts. As much as this is an incredibly important conversation, his etchings and sculptures seem to be too precise and elegant to fully express the deeper and more violent conversation around colonialism.
The installation of Delaine Le Bas proudly expresses her Romany and ‘Gypsy’ heritage. Through painting, tapestry, and found objects, this installation is exciting, ambitious, and immersive but perhaps too chaotic to appreciate her story.
The artwork by Claudette Johnson does not cease to stun the more it's appreciated. Only painting black people highlights the marginalization that they have faced throughout history and places them centrally into the artistic and historical conversation. The expressionless subjects, her dramatic use of colour and scale show this pain and personal understanding of the subject.
The work presented by Jasleen Kaur seems confused. Alongside the carefully thought-out found objects which show snippets into her memory and life growing up in the Glasgow Sikh community, the giant doily thrown on top of a classic red Ford Escort blasting out pop songs is unignorable. It may be a humorous and refreshing change, but one can’t help asking, has the Turner prize gone too far? If this is the future of modern art, I am unsure how long this prize will be considered a high-brow nomination. The winner of the £25,000 award will be announced later this year.
