Other / The Betfair Contrarian / 25 November 2010 / 1

Never one to keep his opinions to himself, the Betfair Contrarian tells us why red-hot favourite Susan Philipsz will be disappointed when the winner of the Turner Prize is announced.

The Betfair Contrarian: Why Susan Philipsz won't win the Turner Prize

Over the course of the last six months, the Contrarian has provided winning advice on subjects as wide-ranging as motor sport, football, greyhound racing, reality TV, the Eurovision Song Contest and Labour leadership contests and the success has made him more unbearable than ever. He's so confident right now that he's even branching into the world of art, explaining why Turner Prize favourite Susan Philipsz [1.77] is going to be left disappointed next month...

She's a lady

It's very rare for a female artist to receive the Turner Prize, with only three being chosen since its inception in 1984. All but one of the last dozen winners have been male and that's despite at least one woman featuring on the four-person shortlist in each of the last eight years and 11 of the 12 since Gillian Wearing's 1997 triumph.

Her work isn't visual art

According to the Turner Prize website, "The exhibition presents the very best of current British visual art with the intention of stimulating a lively exchange of opinions". Susan Philipsz' work therefore doesn't meet their own criteria, as the focus of the Scot's "sound sculptures" - in which she attempts to alter the perception of a location through the medium of singing - is on the aural impact of the audience, rather than what is actually seen. She described her art in a recent Guardian interview by saying: "It's all about how the emotive and psychological effects of sound can heighten your awareness of the space you are in." In terms of her visual display at Tate Britain, all there is to look at are the speakers that are playing the music, which of course aren't supposed to be the focal point.

She isn't a great singer

That's not the Contrarian being cruel, that's Philipsz' own admission, as she has been quoted saying that she hates her own voice. A great deal has been made in the press about how the beauty of her "installations" is that she has an untrained voice, however quite how someone whose art is focussed on their singing can win the most prestigious art award going without specialising in what they do is unclear. The Booker Prize is never likely to be handed to a self-knowingly average author and the Academy Award for Best Actor doesn't just go to anyone capable of delivering a semi-believable performance. So it would be staggering if the Turner Prize was won by someone who openly acknowledges such significant shortcomings.

She's not old enough...

Despite being born in 1965, Philipsz is far from the oldest of this year's nominees and that doesn't bode well as in each of the last three years, the most experienced contender has been crowned the winner. The logic of the jury is perhaps that younger challengers who are unsuccessful still have opportunities to earn recognition again, and that by at least showing that they are impressed with their work, they are motivating them to reach even higher levels.

...and it's Dalwood's last chance

Only artists under the age of 50 can win the Turner Prize, meaning that this is [4.8] second favourite Dexter Dalwood's one and only shot at the honour. In his favour are a number of factors besides the aforementioned age trend. He is English, as were seven of the last eight winners, and was born in Bristol. Five of the last seven victors hailed from the south - two from London, two from Essex and one from Surrey. In addition, his works are paintings and while there was a lengthy period in which painters didn't fare too well, two of the last four winners incorporated the skill in their efforts.

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1. Jules | 07 December 2010

   Shows how much you lot know doesn't it?
   Jules
   

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