41-year-old multidisciplinary artist Jesse Darling, hailing from Oxford and now residing in Berlin, claimed this year's prestigious Turner Prize. Known for their work in various mediums like sculpture, video, painting, and performance, they also released a poetry collection titled "Virgin" last year. The Turner-honored exhibition transports the observer into a custom-tailored environment reminiscent of chaotic city streets and industrial barriers.
The entrance to the gallery chamber is barricaded with barbed wire, anthropomorphic security gates tread over the floor and scale the walls. A shredded Union Jack carpet hangs from warped poles and rails that protrude into the walls; bothersome props like crutches, dusty filing cabinets, and concrete debris scatter the space in a typically disturbing fashion. The exhibition consists of both new and earlier works by Darling, according to a press release, evoking a familiar yet surreal experience. The source states, "Darling's work elicited a social collapse, disrupting the perception of labor, class, Britishness, and power."
Darling's installations symbolize the chaotic condition of British society and delve into themes such as power and exclusion. The Turner Prize, named after the 19th-century painter JMW Turner, annually honors an exemplary artist born or residing in the United Kingdom, based on their work exhibited the previous year. Darling was shortlisted for their solo exhibitions "No Medals, No Ribbons" at the Oxford Centre for Modern Art and "Enclosures" at the Camden Arts Centre.
Last year's Turner Prize recipient was sculptor Veronica Ryan. Legendary names like Damien Hirst, Gillian Wearing, Gilbert & George, Anish Kapoor, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Steve McQueen have previously won the award. The Turner Prize celebrates its 40th anniversary next year.
Enrichment Data Integration: Drug abuse, mental health struggles, and the exploration of queer identities could be themes within Darling's work, considering the 2022 exhibition "The Body Politic: Contemporary Art and Queer Identity" at Xavier Hufkens gallery in Brussels, featuring other artists grappling with similar themes. Furthermore, Darling's 2021 solo exhibition at the Herald St gallery in London reflected their interest in the human condition, societal norms, and class structures.
