Nnena Kalu becomes first artist with a disability to win Turner prize for hanging Barcelona sculpture
Kalu was awarded the visual arts prize along with £25,000 for her installation Hanging Sculpture 1-10, which Manifesta 15 Barcelona commissioned her to create at a disused power station,
Scottish artist Nnena Kalu, known for her large-scale abstract drawings and hanging sculptures, has won the Turner Prize 2025.
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The Glaswegian, 59, took home the prize at an award ceremony on Tuesday evening in Bradford, this year’s UK City of Culture.
Kalu was awarded the visual arts prize along with £25,000 for her installation Hanging Sculpture 1-10, which Manifesta 15 Barcelona commissioned her to create at a disused power station, and her presentation in Conversations, a group exhibition at Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
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Her vividly-coloured works are created from repeated lines and wrappings of different materials, making nest or cocoon-like forms.
The installation consisted 10 large brightly-coloured sculptures that hung from grey concrete pillars of the industrial site.
Meanwhile for Conversations, Kalu presented work in pen, graphite and chalk pen on two pieces of paper.
The jury, which was chaired by Alex Farquharson, the director of Tate Britain, commended Kalu’s “bold and compelling work” and praised the “lively translation of expressive gesture” in the abstract sculpture and drawing.
The panel also acknowledged her scale, composition and colour, highlighting “the powerful presence” her works have.
Kalu, who is a resident artist at ActionSpace’s studio which supports learning disabled artists across London at Studio Voltaire, beat fellow shortlisted artists, Rene Matic, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa.
The works by the four artists are currently available to see at a free exhibition at Bradford’s Cartwright Hall Art Gallery until February 22.
Named after British painter JMW Turner, this year’s prize marked the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth.
Established in 1984, the Turner prize aims to promote debate on contemporary British art as well as recognising a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work, with the winner awarded £25,000 while the shortlisted artists take home £10,000.
Previous recipients include sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor (1991), artist Damien Hirst (1995), and filmmaker Sir Steve McQueen (1999).
The Turner Prize 2026 will be held at MIMA, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art.