Skip to content

Turner Prize art created during countryside stay

Wysing Arts Centre Delaine La Bas is standing in front of a black and white artwork. She is wearing a paint-stained effect skirt and T-shirt, the shirt shows an image of a heart with "THE HEART" written on it in capital letters.Wysing Arts Centre
Artist Delaine Le Bas created work at Wysing Arts Centre for her installation, which has gone on show at Tate Britain's Turner Prize exhibition

Work created by an artist during her residency at a rural arts centre has gone on show as part of a Turner Prize exhibition.

Delaine Le Bas has been shortlisted for the prestigious contemporary arts prize following a three-month residency at Wysing Arts Centre in Cambridgeshire in 2023.

"Most" of the work - including paintings, fabric hangings and embroidery on display at Tate Britain - was made at the centre, said its director Rosie Cooper.

"It's wonderful - and testament to the impact that time spent at Wysing can have on an artist," said Ms Cooper.

Iris Ranzinger There are pieces of fabric hanging down around a central artwork of a seated figure. The fabrics have colourful paint on them- one of them shows a green snake with pink human legs, inside the circle of of hanging fabrics the figure is dressed in a pale pink dress and shawl, with a white and blue mask covering the head.Iris Ranzinger
Le Bas's shortlisted exhibition features fabric hangings and paintings

The British-born artist, who explores her Roma heritage in her work, was given a studio to work in at the arts centre after being selected for a residency.

Pieces she produced were then used in her Incipit Vita Nova: Here Begins The New Life/A New Life Is Beginning show at Secession in Vienna last year, which clinched her the Turner Prize shortlisting.

She has been selected for the £25,000 award alongside three other artists, who all have their installations on display at Tate Britain until 16 February.

Lucy Rose Shaftain-Fenner Rosie is standing in front of a meadow of wildflowers and wearing a denim shirt, with short red hair and glasses, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.Lucy Rose Shaftain-Fenner
Wysing Arts Centre director Rosie Cooper said Le Bas enjoyed the site's natural surroundings

Wysing Arts Centre, based about 10 miles (16km) from Cambridge on a former farm, sits in 11 acres (4ha) of fields and woodlands where Le Bas spent much of her time.

"I know she felt that rooted-ness to nature to be incredibly inspirational and I think you can really feel that when you go to the Turner Prize show," said Ms Cooper, who is on the award jury.

"She went absolutely wild in the [studio] space, making these gorgeous paintings - very expressive, quite figurative, dreamlike paintings - on this gauzy hanging fabric, which you can now see in the Turner Prize [show].

"It felt a real turning point for Delaine to take risks and try things she wouldn't have had the chance to do unless she had been able to be at Wysing."

The winner of the 40th annual prize will be announced on 3 December.

It was named after the painter JMW Turner and given to British artists for outstanding exhibitions or presentations.

Tom Jackson/BBC A yellow sign saying Wysing Arts Centre situated on grass with a green one-storey building in the background and a two-storey glass building to the left.Tom Jackson/BBC
Wysing Arts Centre opened in 1988 and offers residencies to a host of artists

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

More on this story
Internet related links