Turner Prize 2024 at Tate Britain; History, Memory, and the Power of Personal Storytelling

In its 40th year, The Turner Prize 2024 at Tate Britain offers a striking blend of personal storytelling, cultural identity, and reflections on contemporary life, presenting a unique insight into the diverse approaches of four nominated artists—Pio Abad, Claudette Johnson, Jasleen Kaur, and Delaine Le Bas. As one of the most influential art prizes in the UK, this year’s exhibition not only showcases artistic mastery but also invites viewers into thought-provoking conversations about heritage, belonging, and memory.

A Journey Through Four Perspectives

Walking through the exhibition, the viewer is immediately struck by the intimate nature of each artist’s work. The installations, paintings, and sculptures displayed are unified by their deep-rooted engagement with personal and collective history, but each is distinct in its execution and tone.

Pio-Abad; Installation View; Turner Prize 2024, Tate Britain, Tate

Pio Abad’s works draw visitors into a complex interplay between history and art. His use of archival materials and detailed renderings of cultural artifacts serve as a critique of colonial legacies. The objects—deemed historical by museums—are recontextualized, highlighting stories often overlooked or hidden. Abad’s installations blur the lines between what is considered valuable and what is forgotten, creating a space for critical reflection on how histories are constructed. This dialogue is further enriched by his choice to reference both British and Filipino cultural elements, forging a connection that spans continents and centuries.

Claudette Johnson; Installation View; Turner Prize 2024, Tate Britain, Tate

Moving from Abad’s critical lens to Claudette Johnson’s tender yet powerful portraits, viewers find themselves face-to-face with Black figures portrayed with dignity and grace. Her large-scale drawings command attention, their presence filling the gallery with a quiet strength. Johnson’s use of pastels and watercolours adds layers of texture, bringing her subjects to life in a way that is both intimate and monumental. Through her work, she not only challenges the historical underrepresentation of Black figures in art but also reclaims space for them, inviting viewers to see them as individuals with stories, depth, and humanity.

Jasleen Kaur; Installation View; Turner Prize 2024, Tate Britain, Tate

In contrast, Jasleen Kaur’s installation bursts with life and colour, blending traditional and contemporary elements in a vibrant celebration of cultural hybridity. Her work, inspired by her Sikh Glaswegian background, features a vintage Ford Escort, which she transforms into a dynamic, sensory altar. Pop music, prayer bells, and familiar objects weave together to create a space that feels at once domestic and ritualistic. By drawing from her personal history, Kaur creates an environment where cultural intersections are not just acknowledged but celebrated, inviting viewers to explore how narratives of identity and community can coexist in dynamic harmony.

Delaine le Bas; Turner Prize 2024, Tate Britain; Photo Credit: Josh Croll.

Delaine Le Bas completes the exhibition with an immersive environment that draws on her Roma-Traveller heritage. Her installation, brimming with painted fabrics, sculptures, and soundscapes, serves as both a celebration of her roots and a poignant exploration of loss and resilience. Le Bas’s use of richly layered materials evokes the tactile quality of memory itself—fragile, textured, and multifaceted. Her work invites viewers to consider themes of displacement and belonging, capturing the spirit of a culture often misrepresented or marginalized. Her creation is not just an artwork but a living, breathing space that holds within it the stories of her ancestors.

Together, the works in the Turner Prize 2024 exhibition form a collective narrative that is as diverse as it is cohesive. The artists’ explorations of personal and cultural histories resonate deeply within the contemporary moment, offering a complex view of identity that speaks to universal themes of love, loss, power, and resilience. Tate Britain’s galleries transform into spaces that hold personal memories and collective stories—inviting the audience not only to observe but to participate in a dialogue that extends beyond the walls of the exhibition.

Turner Prize 2024, Tate Britain, Tate

This year’s Turner Prize feels especially timely, reflecting broader conversations about representation, historical narratives, and cultural identity. Each artist offers a distinctive lens through which to view contemporary life, with works that are as much about looking back as they are about envisioning the future. The exhibition demonstrates how contemporary art can act as a catalyst for deeper understanding, bridging the gap between individual experiences and shared histories. As visitors move from one installation to the next, they are invited to consider their own place within these narratives, reflecting on how art can help us navigate the complexities of the world around us.

Pio-Abad; Installation View; Turner Prize 2024, Tate Britain, Tate

The Turner Prize 2024 offers an experience that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. Through the works of Abad, Johnson, Kaur, and Le Bas, the exhibition offers a window into the personal stories that shape our understanding of history, culture, and identity. As visitors leave Tate Britain, they are likely to carry with them not just images of the art they have seen, but the stories and questions that continue to unfold in their minds.