Turner Prize shortlist announced, featuring two artists who previously wouldn’t be eligible

A female-dominated shortlist for this year’s Turner Prize has been announced as Lubaina Himid, Rosalind Nashashibi, Andrea Büttner and Hurvin Anderson. It is the first since the age limit was abolished earlier this year, which has worked in favour of two of the four artists – Lubaina and Hurvin – who previously would not have been eligible for the prize as they’re over 50.

Lubaina Himid, who we interviewed in January, was nominated for projects including solo exhibitions Lubaina Himid: Invisible Strategies at Modern Art Oxford and Navigation Charts at Spike Island in Bristol, as well as her participation in group exhibition The Place is Here at Nottingham Contemporary, which the jury says addresses “pertinent questions of personal and political identity”. Her work, which covers painting, drawing, printmaking and installation, explores the contribution of African diaspora to Western culture.

Andrea Büttner was selected for her solo shows Andrea Büttner: Gesamtzusammenhang at Kunsthalle Sankt Gallen in Switzerland, and Andrea Büttner at David Kordansky in Los Angeles. The jury cited the artist’s approach to collaboration and her exploration of religion, morality and ethics, articulated through a wide range of media including printmaking, sculpture, video and painting.

Rosalind Nashashibi was nominated for her solo exhibition On This Island at The University Art Galleries at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts in California, and her participation in Documenta 14. The jury says her films “use the camera as an eye to observe moments and events, contrasting reality with moments of fantasy and myth. They show how the intimate and everyday collide with issues of surveillance and control”.

Hurvin Anderson was chosen for his exhibitions Hurvin Anderson: Dub Versions at New Art Exchange in Nottingham and Hurvin Anderson: Backdrop at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Canada. He was cited by the jury as “an outstanding British painter” whose work “speaks to our current political moment with questions about identity and belonging”.

An exhibition of the four shortlisted artists’ work will be on display at Ferens Art Gallery in Hull as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations, from 26 September 2017 – 7 January 2018. The winner will be announced on 5 December 2017 live on the BBC. The prize is £25,000, with £5,000 going to the other three shortlisted artists. Last year’s winner Helen Marten famously shared her prize money with the other nominees.