Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Mark Wallinger, Turner Prize, Anti-Iraq War Art







Okay, many blogs/news stories covered this. Mark Wallinger won the Turner Prize 2007 for his exacting replica of the anti-Iraq war protest staged by Brian Haw in Parliament Square from 2001 to 2006.
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The work was hailed for its "immediacy, visceral intensity and historic importance."

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I'm a firm believer that art can be used for social change and bring noteworthy issues to the public's attention. But here I'm a bit cynical. Does awarding this work create change in policy to ending the sanctions and war in Iraq or is this just a superficial feel-good work to say, yes, I'm liberal because I agree with the artist's sentiment? In other words, does this work come alive and change lives?

Details of the award here:

http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART52318.html


This work makes me more curious about Brian Haw.

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