Nnena Kalu Makes History as Frist Neurodiverse Artist to Win Turner Prize
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nnena Kalu has become the first artist with a learning disability to win the prestigious £25,000 Turner Prize, awarded in 2025 for her vibrant drawings and sculptures crafted from found fabric and VHS tape.The win, lauded as a watershed moment for the international art world, recognizes Kalu’s unique artistic vision and challenges conventional boundaries within the art community.
A Landmark Victory for Inclusivity
Alex farquharson, director of Tate Britain and chair of the Turner prize jury, emphasized the importance of Kalu’s achievement. “She’s been on the outside,” he stated. He further explained that Kalu’s win “begins to erase that border between the neurotypical and neurodiverse artist,” acknowledging a ancient exclusion and signaling a shift towards greater inclusivity.
Celebrating Kalu’s Artistic Vision
Kalu’s work, described by Guardian art critic Eddy Frankel as “huge cocoons wrapped into massive, tight, twisting, ultra-colourful knots,” captivated the judging panel. The sculptures and drawings are constructed from a diverse range of materials, including adhesive tape, clingfilm, repurposed plastics, fabrics, cable ties, and notably, VHS tape, all bound together into compelling forms.The award ceremony,held at Bradford Grammar School as part of Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations,saw Kalu wearing a rosette emblazoned with “Idol,Legend,Winner,Whatever” – a phrase contributed by a participant in one of her workshops.
Overcoming Discrimination and Inspiring Change
Charlotte Hollinshead, Kalu’s studio manager and artistic facilitator, delivered a winner’s speech on her behalf, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by artists with disabilities.”Nnena has faced an amazing amount of discrimination, which continued to this day, so hopefully this award helps to smash the prejudice away,” Hollinshead stated. The disability charity Sense echoed this sentiment, calling Kalu’s nomination “richly deserved and long overdue.”
A Competitive Field of Nominees
The 2025 Turner Prize shortlist featured a diverse group of artists exploring themes of identity and belonging in contemporary Britain. While Kalu ultimately prevailed, the competition was notably close, with several nominees receiving significant critical acclaim.
Mohammed Sami’s “violent” work, notably his painting The Hunter’s Return, garnered attention for its unsettling depiction of combat. According to Telegraph art critic Alastair Sooke, the painting’s “colossal, 19ft-wide vision of combat forces” was a strong contender for the prize. Nancy Durrant of The Times also favored Sami, praising his work as “evocative, allusive and fantastically well executed.”
Rene Matić, the second youngest nominee, presented an installation incorporating the voices of Nina Simone and bell hooks alongside images from their personal life, exploring “contested ideas of nationhood and belonging.” Zadie Xa’s paintings, featuring folkloric Korean figures, received a less excited response from Adrian Searle of The Guardian, who described them as “woozy, overwrought and overthought.”
Kalu’s Rising Trajectory
Nnena Kalu’s artistic journey began at the Hill House day center in Tooting, south London, in the late 1980s. She now works from ActionSpace in Clapham,a charity dedicated to supporting learning disabled artists. Her career has experienced rapid growth, with exhibitions in Belgium, Glasgow, and Norway, culminating in her first major institutional exhibition at Norway’s Kunsthall Stavanger in 2025.
Farquharson concluded, praising the captivating quality of Kalu’s work: “The drawings have this beautiful visual, subtle formal quality, while the sculptures look like vortexes or whirlpools and draw you in. They are these amazingly compelling things, which draw you in, give you joy and that keep you coming back.”
