Jasleen Kaur Wins 2024 Turner Prize

Jasleen Kaur b. 1986, United Kingdom Follow +

Jasleen Kaur received the prestigious Turner Prize for Alter Altar, her exhibition at Tramway in Glasgow, during a ceremony held at Tate Britain in London last night.

Kaur’s work celebrates the Scottish Sikh community by transforming everyday objects into symbols of cultural memory and collective identity. Highlights include a red Ford Escort draped in a giant doily, automated worship bells, and a self-playing accordion.

The judges commended her ability to ‘weave together different voices’ and explore cultural memory through materials and rituals, creating a ‘visual aural experience that suggests both solidarity and joy.’ The installation’s soundscape, featuring Bob Marley and N-Trance’s 1994 track ‘Set You Free’, animates the objects, evoking childhood memories shared with her family.

Amy Emmerson Martin, Tate’s Assistant Curator of Contemporary British Art, noted, ‘It’s this idea of a car whizzing by on a hot summer’s day and getting intermittent sounds of different songs and artists.’ She explained that Kaur’s practice links family, cultural, and political memory to broader societal experiences, with sounds representing ‘sonic memory’.

Kaur was awarded the £25,000 prize, chosen by jurors Rosie Cooper (Director of Wysing Arts Centre), Ekow Eshun (writer, broadcaster, and curator), Sam Thorne (CEO of Japan House London), Lydia Yee (curator and art historian), and Tate Britain Director Alex Farquharson.

The Turner Prize exhibition, featuring Kaur and fellow nominees Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, and Delaine Le Bas, is on view at Tate Britain until 16 February 2025. —[O]

Main image: Jasleen Kaur. Photo: Robin Christian.