British-born artist Nnena Kalu has won the prestigious Turner Prize for her vividly coloured, cocoon-like sculptures.
The jury praised her work as “bold and compelling” and highlighted “the powerful presence these works have”, noting how her process-driven practice pushes the boundaries of contemporary sculpture.
Ms Kalu, who is autistic and has a learning disability, creates layered, wrapped sculptural forms using tape, paper, plastic, and found materials.
Her pieces often grow organically in the space she works, resulting in striking, sculptural accumulations that have drawn international admiration.
Her long-time support worker, Charlotte Hollinshead, celebrated the win as a breakthrough for disabled artists.
“This amazing lady has worked so hard for such a long time,” she said, applauding the artist’s perseverance in the face of stigma. “Nnena has faced an incredible amount of discrimination, which continues to this day, so hopefully this award smashes that prejudice away. It’s seismic. It’s broken a very stubborn glass ceiling.”
Ms Kalu was shortlisted alongside Rene Matić, Iraqi painter Mohammed Sami and Canadian-Korean artist Zadie Xa.
All four, who live and work in London, have had their work on show at the Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford, northern England, since September.
Born in the United Kingdom to Nigerian parents, Ms Kalu works with ActionSpace, a London-based organisation that supports artists with learning disabilities.
Over more than two decades with ActionSpace, Nnena Kalu has built an extensive practice, ranging from rhythmic, swirling drawings on paper to mammoth, hanging, cocoon-like sculptures made from repurposed textiles, VHS tapes, and other materials.
Her breakthrough pieces include Hanging Sculpture 1-10(2024), commissioned by Manifesta 15 in Barcelona, and Drawing 21 (2021), exhibited at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery.
In 2025, she presented her largest institutional show to date in Europe at Norway’s art museum, Kunsthall Stavanger.
Founded in 1984, the Turner Prize is one of the most significant awards for contemporary art worldwide.
The award was named after the renowned British painter J. M. W. Turner, with the intention of spotlighting artists who have significantly contributed to contemporary art.
