the only good one is a dead one

Mark Leckey was last night announced the winner of £25,000 and the king of the year for some art competition. It seemed to be the quietest Turner prize in my living memory – perhaps because I don’t own a tv (and can’t watch channel 4 online) – or more likely because the supposedly contemporary art bashing public didn’t seem to give a toss about it this time round.

Needless to say the tabloids (and broadsheets) tried to stir up something worth reading, with the usual drivelling headlines, but aside from hilarity over poking fun at Cathy Wilkes ‘challenging’ installation, this year’s exhibition has neither any brilliant work or anything too controversial to talk about. I found it dry, vacuous and cold. Nothing more to be said. Mediocre is worse than eye poppingly shit isn’t it?

Here are some responses to the media coverage of the prize in one of our nation’s favourite newspapers. It’s some of the most exciting art criticism around.

There are so many talented artists who can at least draw, sculpt and paint who don’t get a look in. It is just very sad, souless and boring!

- M, Beds,

what a load of pretentious crap!

- James, lancs,UK,

Perhaps I am just not designed to appreciate this form of ‘Art’ ………. or are their some 60,000,000 other people in the UK who realise their failings by thinking that the Turner Prize is all about making a nonsense of the word ‘ART’…….

- Pete Collins, North Devon

I thought for a confused moment that is was an art prize – silly me! Great relief to find its only an entertainment prize. And instead of an artist it’s been won by a professor, so that’s ok, he doesn’t have a real job. Perhaps next year we could make it a technology prize won by a kitchen cabinet maker!

- Paul Freeman, London

Beneath contempt….

- Mr Blonde, newcastle

Artistic talent? Innovation? More like The Emporer’s New Clothes!

- Sue G, Perth, Australia

What can you say? – I have a couple of mugs that need rinsing through and two of my cushions are off centre on the sofa, so I will be entering, under the category of money for nothing.

- Daniel, Lancashire UK

ART ????? Looks more like a load of unmitigated trash to me.

- dave expat, thailand

It’s an improvement on half a dead cow!

- Phil Bailey, Shrewsbury

I’m surprised that folks continue to be confused/bemused by the works that win the Turner year in/year out; it a bit like complaining about the sun coming up.

I’d be intrigued to know what everyone’s understanding of what ‘art’ is. What kind of item do you believe should win the Turner, a pretty picture?

- Nick, Southampton

how many of these ‘artists’ can actually draw or paint.. ?

- bob jones, southampton

Art is not just about drawing, sculpting and painting. It can also be about being creative, challenging peoples’ ideas and thinking outside the box. If you lack the imagination and open mindedness to consider this then I think that is very sad. Similar criticisms such as “this is not art!” leveled at Chagall, Picaso and numerous other modern artisits who pushed the boat out and challenged our ideas of what art should be – most notable the mischevous Marcel Duchamp. They are now widley considered way ahead of their time and some of the greatest 20th C artisits.

- Matt, London

Utterly pathetic. A chimp with a lego set could make something more artist than this lot.

- Paul Kersey, London, UK

They might be imaginative, but none of these modern artists seem to have any actual technical SKILL. Most of them just dump a random assortment of items around a room, attach a pretentious title and call it art, or (like Damien Hirst) get their staff to do the work and take the credit.

- Chris K, Cheltenham

No one would have been surprised if the £25,000 had been awarded to the dummy ..?

- Ex Pat Eastern Europe, Bratislava , The Slovak Rebublic

I haven’t washed up my lunch time crockery yet…..think that would be worth £25,000????

- Amber, West Country

YES AMBER!