Turner Prize 2024: Will Delaine Le Bas Be the Winner?

The Turner Prize recognizes British artists for standout exhibitions or presentations. Some of the most well-known past winners include Damien Hirst who won in 1995 for his preserved animal installations, and Steve McQueen who took home the prize in 1999 for his video works. More recent winners include Lubaina Himid, who in 2017 became the first black woman to win the Turner Prize for her expansive paintings and installations exploring African diaspora narratives.

Last year, Array Collective won for their community-engaged projects in Northern Ireland. Past winners often see their profiles rise significantly, with exhibitions and opportunities coming their way after claiming the prestigious award.

This year, Romani artist Delaine Le Bas earned a nomination for her immersive show at Vienna’s Secession gallery. With the winner announcement on December 3rd, speculation abounds whether Le Bas could claim the £25,000 award.

Delaine Le Bas’ Nomination

Le Bas scored her nomination for “Incipit Vita Nova. Here Begins The New Life/A New Life Is Beginning” at Secession. She converted the space into a theatrical setting filled with paintings, costumes, and sculptures. Drawing inspiration from her Romani lineage and mythologies, Le Bas explored themes of death, loss and renewal triggered by her grandmother’s passing. The Turner Prize jury admired the “energy and immediacy of her exhibition and its powerful expression amidst chaos”.

Le Bas labels her aesthetic “Gypsy-hippy-punk,” crediting her Roma-Traveller background for fueling her diverse practice. Identity, politics, feminism and racism are frequent themes. Le Bas often uses a mix of mediums in her work including painting, sculpture, photography, embroidery, and performance. The interdisciplinary nature of her practice allows her to connect deeply personal narratives to broader socio-political issues.

Could Delaine Le Bas win this year’s Turner Prize? 22bet21.com thinks she might, and is offering odds of 3/1 or 33.33% on Le Bas taking home the £25,000 prize.

Critical Reception

The Turner Prize exhibition featuring Le Bas’ work opened September 25th at Tate Britain. Reviews praised the vitality and wit embodied in her presentation.

One critic described Le Bas’ installation as brimming with “vitality and surprise, witches and devils, silliness and verve with a “Gypsy-hippy-punk” aesthetic derived from Le Bas’ Roma-Traveller background.

Other Nominees

While Le Bas has garnered positive reviews, the competition looks stiff. Other nominees are Pio Abad, Jasleen Kaur, and Claudette Johnson.

Pio Abad scored a nod for his exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum delving into the museum’s colonial collections. Jasleen Kaur earned her nomination for a Glasgow show reflecting on her Sikh upbringing using Irn-Bru bottles and cash register sounds. Claudette Johnson made the shortlist for her portrait exhibition at London’s Courtauld Gallery and is known for her large-scale pastel portraits that convey both tenderness and wariness.

Each artist offers something unique, and this year’s show has been particularly enjoyable for visitors and critics alike.

The Winner

With her standout show and Roma background, Le Bas could potentially take the prize on December 3rd. However, the other nominees’ distinct perspectives give them an equal shot at winning. Only time will tell who walks away with the prize but even being nominated brings kudos to an artist’s brand.