Busy months ahead for Tate’s prize show in Liverpool

Oct 20 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

MORE than 1,000 people turned up to the Tate gallery in Liverpool yesterday for the opening day of the Turner Prize exhibition.

Some of the shortlisted artists returned to see their work and Hollyoaks actor Kevin Sacre was even seen to be taking in the art.

Judges will now have until December 3 to choose the winner from the four finalists for the £25,000 prize.

Visitors seemed particularly moved by the work of Zarina Bhimji, whose African photographs and film capture human traces in landscape and architecture.

Nathan Coley’s giant illumination There Will Be No Miracles Here and Mike Nelson’s maze-like Amnesiac Shrine proved popular the the crowds.

Mark Wallinger’s Sleeper, a film of the artist wandering around a glass building at night dressed as a bear, was a particular favourite with the groups of schoolchildren visiting the exhibition.

“We're expecting a busy few months,” said Andrea Nixon, executive director of the Tate.

“The exhibition opened to the public at 10am and more than one thousand people have seen the ex- hibition – Jake Dean from Holly- oaks was spotted enjoying the art.

“The comments room where visitors can leave their thoughts is proving very popular.”

Visitors also enjoyed sitting in the hackney cab showing Taxi Project – a film showing passengers in the back of a taxi discussing art and Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year.

“It’s fantastic to have the Turner Prize exhibition on our doorstep,” said Philip Jones from Aigburth.

“I particularly like There Will be No Miracles Here although I found Zarina Bhimji’s work very understated and thought- provoking.”

Margaret Green from Walton said: “I don’t know much about art but this is such a big thing for the city I wanted to come and have a look.

“I’ve enjoyed seeing all the different pieces and think Nathan Coley should win.”

The comment wall at the end of the exhibition was already more than half-full on the first day.

“The bear made me very disoriented. The taxi was good. Can’t make head nor tails of anything, only came in for a warm,” one observer noted.

“Art is in the eye of the beholder. I think I must be blind,” mused another, while one person dismissed the exhibition as “a load of pants” and decided their cat could do better.

But there was praise for the exhibition too.

One visitor simply wrote: “The are miracles here.”

vickyanderson