US EditionNnena Kalu wins Turner Prize for 'bold and compelling' art
Nnena Kalu, the first learning-disabled artist to win, was awarded £25,000 for her large-scale sculptures and drawings praised for boldness and expressive gestures.
- On Tuesday evening in Bradford, Glasgow-born, London-based artist Nnena Kalu won the 2025 Turner Prize, receiving the £25,000 award for Hanging Sculpture 1–10 and Conversations at Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
- The jury chaired by Alex Farquharson commended Kalu's bold and compelling work, highlighting her lively translation of expressive gesture, scale, composition and colour after two or three hours of deliberation.
- Using repurposed materials, Kalu creates cocoon-like Hanging Sculpture 1–10 by winding VHS tape and found fabric, and her drawings in sets of two or three show swirling vortexes with beautiful intricacy.
- Her win makes her the first learning-disabled artist to win the prize, fellow nominees Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa receive £10,000 each, and the Turner Prize exhibition runs at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford until 22 February 2026.
- Supported by ActionSpace for more than 25 years, Kalu has worked with Charlotte Hollinshead since 1999; judges emphasized merit over identity, while Mohammed Sami was favored to win.
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116 Articles
With Nnena Kalu, a neurodivergent artist has won the important Turner Prize for the first time. Prognosis: In ten years, this woman is even more famous than today.
Associated Press News
Nnena Kalu is first artist with a learning disability to win the prestigious Turner Prize
Scottish artist Nnena Kalu has won the Turner Prize for her vivid abstract drawings and sculptures. She is the first artist with a learning disability to receive Britain's most famous visual art award.
The 59-year-old autistic artist Nnena Kalu has been awarded the renowned Turner Prize for her colourful sculptures made of packaging materials. The award is considered an important moment.
For the first time, an autistic artist with a learning disability has been awarded the prestigious Turner Prize. Nnena Kalu joins the ranks of laureates such as Tracey Emin, Damian Hirst, and Wolfgang Tilmans. By Gabi Biesinger.
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