Turner Prize tops UK City of Culture visual art scene

The Walled City, named as one of the top ten cities in the world to visit by Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2013, has a wealth of visual arts events to offer in the last quarter of its tenure as the UK’s first City of Culture.

The prestigious 2013 Turner Prize is one of the highlights. The contemporary art exhibition opens in the city on 22 October, the first time the award has left England. Run in partnership with the Tate, responsible for the UK’s national collection of British, international, modern and contemporary art, the Turner Prize is awarded annually to a British artist under 50. The UK’s foremost award for contemporary art is widely recognised as one of the most prestigious awards for visual arts internationally, and over recent decades it has played a significant role in provoking debate and promoting public interest in visual art and contemporary culture.

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The exhibition – free to attend – will be staged at Ebrington Square, a newly converted public space on the site of a former military barracks overlooking the Derry~Londonderry City Walls, the iconic Peace Bridge and the River Foyle. It will run until 5 January 2014. The four shortlisted artists whose work will be on show at Ebrington are: Laure Prouvost, who makes films set within atmospheric installations; Tino Sehgal, who choreographs live performances he calls ‘constructed situations’; David Shrigley, well-known for his illustrations but who also works in photography and sculpture; and Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, who paints portraits of imaginary people. Viewed as one of the most accessible of recent Turner Prize shortlists, the artists’ work will be housed in an exhibition gallery incorporating four 100m² gallery spaces, café and an artist’s film and visitors’ response area. An adjacent education space will be used for educational and public programmes, talks and events associated with this year’s event. The 2013 Turner Prize winner will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony at The Venue, Ebrington, on Monday 2 December and will be broadcast on Britain’s Channel 4. While the Turner Prize is a definite eye-catcher, Derry~Londonderry has plenty of other visual attractions on offer in the autumn-winter and the city is inviting the international and visual arts community to make a journey to the very edgiest edge of Europe to view them. The Lumiere light festival (28 November to 1 December) will be one of the biggest ever seen in the UK. It will turn the entire city into a giant outdoor art gallery with artworks made from light set to appear across landmarks, buildings, hidden spaces, parks and waterways. Visitors can also take look at Derry~Londonderry through the Centre for Contemporary Art’s autumn programme, which includes a group exhibition examining and imagining the past, present and future of labour and the fight for workers’ rights. There are also exhibitions and shows in fantastic local gallery spaces all around the city like Void, the Nerve Centre, the City Factory and the London Street Gallery. www.ireland.com www.cityofculture2013.com