British-born artist, Nnena Kalu has been announced as the winner of the prestigious Turner Prize for her vividly coloured, cocoon-like sculptural works.
The jury described her pieces as “bold and compelling” and commended “the powerful presence these works have,” noting that her process-driven approach continues to expand the scope of contemporary sculpture.
Ms Kalu, who is autistic and has a learning disability, is known for creating layered, wrapped forms using tape, paper, plastic and found objects.
Her sculptures often evolve within the space she works, forming dense, organic structures that have earned growing global attention.
Her support worker, Charlotte Hollinshead, hailed the victory as a landmark moment for disabled artists. “This amazing lady has worked so hard for such a long time,” she said, adding that Ms Kalu had persevered despite persistent discrimination.
“Nnena has faced an incredible amount of discrimination, which continues to this day, so hopefully this award smashes that prejudice away. It’s seismic. It’s broken a very stubborn glass ceiling.”
Kalu was shortlisted alongside Rene Matic, Iraqi painter Mohammed Sami and Canadian-Korean artist Zadie Xa. All four artists, based in London, have their works displayed at the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, where the exhibition has been running since September.
Born in the UK to Nigerian parents, Kalu is a long-standing artist with ActionSpace, a London organisation supporting creatives with learning disabilities.
Over more than two decades, she has developed a wide-ranging practice, from rhythmic drawings to large, immersive sculptural installations made from repurposed materials including textiles and VHS tapes.
Her notable works include Hanging Sculpture 1–10 (2024), commissioned for Manifesta 15 in Barcelona, and Drawing 21 (2021), shown at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.
Earlier this year, she presented her largest institutional exhibition to date at Kunsthall Stavanger in Norway.
Established in 1984, the Turner Prize remains one of the most influential honours in global contemporary art, named after the celebrated British painter J. M. W. Turner to spotlight innovative artistic contributions.
