Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin

It seems to be a persistent complaint about contemporary art in general and the Turner Prize candidates in particular: their art is too “conceptual.”

The Turner Prize is a British contemporary arts award that has dominated the arts calendar for twenty-five years. Judging by some recent winners, one could ask, “What is the arts world coming to?!” Or, one could dig deeper into how—and indeed, why—Turner Prizes are awarded . . .

Contrary to popular opinion, appearances do not generally deceive. Instead, they are an indispensable feature of the way things are and serve as our first contact with the world. The world reveals itself first through the way it can be sensed and felt, by means of our eyes or ears or by touch or taste. Art helps us see, sense and feel the world in novel ways by revealing new angles and fresh perspectives.