Lubaina Himid wins Turner art prize

Tanzania-born artist Lubaina Himid became the oldest ever winner of the Turner Prize on Tuesday for her works dealing with black creativity and representation in art.

In its decision, judges cited Himid's paintings, prints and installations at three exhibitions in the cities of Oxford, Bristol and Nottingham that engaged with "pertinent questions of personal and political identity."

"As a key figure of the Black Arts Movement, Himid has consistently foregrounded the contribution of African diaspora to Western culture," they said.

Read more: Turner Prize finalists on show in the UK

Himid received the award and 25,000 pounds ($32,000/€33,500) in the northern English city of Hull.

She thanked her supporters and critics in her acceptance speech.

"I've kind of won it for them, too," she said. "For all the black women who never did win it even though they've been shortlisted. It feels good for that reason."

The 63-year-old professor of contemporary art is the first winner of the prestigious award to be over 50. Organizers had lifted a previous age limit to reflect the fact that artists can produce their best work at any age.

Read more: German artist Andrea Büttner among Turner Prize finalists

Controversial prize

The annual visual arts prize is named after the British painter J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851) and has been awarded since 1984 for "an outstanding exhibition or public presentation" in the preceding year by an artist based or born in Britain.

This year's other finalists — Hurvin Anderson, German artist Andrea Büttner and Rosalind Nashashibi — each received £5,000.

Previous winners and nominees have been controversial. Damien Hirst won the 1995 award for pieces that included a rotting cow's head, while Tracey Emin was nominated in 1999 for a stained bed surrounded by rubbish.

amp/se (AFP, dpa)