what are the criteria for winning the prize?
Are there no boundaries to quality, style or presentation? There is an area, however, in which the Turner Prize remains in the past; there have only ever been three female winners in its 26-year history. In 2008, when Leckey was up against three female contenders, the male still championed. Deuchar explains that the prize still embraces “old ways of thinking” and is not embroiled in the petty political-correctness, which saturates every area of employment. For Deuchar, “gender and race do not enter into the conversation.” Yet, just looking at the female artists nominated for the prize instantly brings gender to the forefront. Could it have been Wilkes’ characteristic focus on femininity and sexuality that undermined her chances of winning? With works entitled We Are Pro-Choice, using female mannequins and objects of everyday domestic normality, such as cookers, Wilkes’ own position as a mother and domesticated woman finds significance. Hours before the announcement of the prize, The Gu
