British-Nigerian artist Nnena Kalu wins 2025 Turner Prize for her vibrant sculptures and drawings, breaking barriers for neurodiverse creators.
Nnena Kalu has made history as the first artist with a learning disability to win the prestigious Turner Prize, one of the United Kingdom’s most significant art awards. The British-Nigerian artist was recognized for her colorful, large-scale drawings and sculptures constructed from found fabric, VHS tape, adhesive film, and other repurposed materials. She takes home the £25,000 ($33,000) prize.
Alex Farquharson, chair of the 2025 Turner Prize jury and director of Tate Britain, called Kalu’s win a “watershed moment” for the international art world. “Her work was selected for its quality, but as a neurodiverse artist with limited verbal communication, she would previously have been on the outside,” he said. “This begins to erase the border between neurotypical and neurodiverse artists.”
Kalu, born in Glasgow in 1966 to Nigerian parents, began practicing art at the Hill House day center in Tooting, south London, in the late 1980s. She now works at ActionSpace in Clapham, a charity supporting learning-disabled artists. Her trajectory has been rapid: exhibitions in Belgium and Glasgow International, her first commercial gallery show last year, and her first major institutional exhibition at Norway’s Kunsthall Stavanger in 2025.
Read Also: Abia: Investors To Pick Talents From Grassroots Sports – Otti
Her drawings and sculptures, described by critics as “huge cocoons wrapped into massive, tight, twisting, ultra-colorful knots,” captivated the jury. Charlotte Hollinshead, Kalu’s studio manager, read a statement on her behalf, noting the discrimination Kalu has faced: “Hopefully this award helps to smash the prejudice away.”
Critics praised her work for its sensuous, immersive quality. The Guardian’s Adrian Searle compared Kalu to iconic artists Judith Scott and Hanne Darboven, noting her creations’ “irreducible” power. Farquharson added, “The sculptures look like vortexes or whirlpools. They draw you in and give you joy.”
The Turner Prize, awarded annually to a British-born or UK-based artist for outstanding exhibitions or presentations over the past year, has long spotlighted the country’s contemporary art scene. This year’s nominees explored themes of identity, belonging, and cultural expression, but Kalu’s work stood out for its originality and the statement it makes about inclusivity in the arts.
The award ceremony was held at Bradford Grammar School near Cartwright Hall, part of Bradford’s City of Culture 2025 program. The prize was presented by illusionist Steven Frayne, also known as Dynamo, highlighting the city’s celebration of contemporary culture and creativity.