Press Releases

The Panel of judges, chaired by curator and broadcaster Tim Marlow, commended the work of all seven nominated artists, but were particularly struck by “the visceral power and urgency as well as the sophistication of her work in confronting an on-going human tragedy”.

Teresa Margolles’ work focuses on Northern Mexican social experience where drug-related crime has resulted in widespread violence and murder. Since graduating with a diploma in forensic medicine, Margolles has examined the economics of death and her sculptural interventions and performances often bring the physical reality and materiality of death to the fore, exemplified in her artistic intervention during the 2009 Venice Biennale in which the floor of the Mexican pavilion was mopped with water used to wash dead bodies from a morgue in Mexico.

In both works chosen for Artes Mundi, death is a major theme. In Plancha, water that has been used to cleanse dead bodies in a morgue drips from the ceiling onto hotplates. Each drop evaporates on impact with a noticeable hiss. The work seeks to narrate the transition in death from present to absent, the processes of decomposition and ultimately honours anonymous lives that have been lost. In 32 años Levantamiento y traslado donde cayo el cuerpo asesinado del artista Luis Miguel Suro Margolles has chosen to transport and exhibit the tiles from the floor on which Luis Miguel Suro, a close friend and a promising young artist, was murdered in Guadalajara, Mexico. The displacement of these tiles brings the crime and violence associated with them inside the Museum itself.

The international judging panel comprises Ute Meta Bauer. Dean of Fine Art, Royal College of Art, London, Adam Budak, International Curator for Contemporary Art, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, Kathrin Becker, Head of Video Forum , nbk, Berlin, Karen MacKinnon, Curator, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea, Tim Marlow, Exhibitions Director, White Cube, London, Sabine Schaschl. Director, Kunsthaus Baselland, Basel.

Presenting the prize, First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said:

“I would like to congratulate Teresa Margolles on winning Artes Mundi 5. The competition continues to go from strength to strength, and is truly international in its reach. It is a great privilege to be able to host the event in Wales and it plays a major role in our nation's vibrant cultural scene.”

David Anderson, Director General, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales said:

“Congratulations to Teresa Margolles and to all the shortlisted artists for making their mark here in Wales. Artes Mundi 5  has been both an important and popular exhibition for National Museum Cardiff. The powerful stories told by these artists have given our vistors a compelling insight into contemporary visual art and the way it can connect to real lives and lived experiences. The exhibition has also created a wide range of learning and engagement opportunities, provoking discussion and debate to ensure that National Museum Cardiff makes a very real contribution to the contemporary culture of Wales and the wider world.”

In association with Artes Mundi, the Derek Williams Trust Purchase Award of £30,000 to acquire a work by one of the shortlisted artists for Amgueddfa Cymru's contemporary art collection will go to Tania Bruguera for Displacement, 1998-9.

Howard Evans, Executive Trustee from Derek Williams Trust said

"The Trust is delighted to support the Museum and its partnership with Artes Mundi by funding the Derek Williams Purchase Prize Award. Our long-term support of this initiative has been of real importance to the Museum and its development of an ambitious collection of international contemporary art. The Award ensures that the very best international art will be seen here in Wales in the years to come."

2012 will be founding board member William Wilkin’s last year as chairman. William Wilkins conceived Artes Mundi 12 years ago and retires after helping to facilitate many great achievements for both Artes Mundi and the contemporary visual arts in Wales. It was announced tonight that Mathew Prichard would be the next Chair of the Artes Mundi Board. His wide experience of the arts in Wales and elsewhere will be a great asset in the future development of the Prize. It will also mark Ben Borthwick’s final Artes Mundi as Artistic Director and CEO. Borthwick joined the organization after seven years at Tate Modern and having delivered a successful Artes Mundi 5, will be leaving to pursue international curatorial projects.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is principal sponsor of the Artes Mundi 5 Exhibition and Prize which runs at National Museum Cardiff and Chapter until 13 January 2013. This year will also welcome the inclusion of an audience choice poll for the prize, allowing the public to vote for their favourite artist. The results of the poll will be revealed just before the close of the exhibition.

For further information, interview requests and images, please contact:

Jenny McVean | Account Manager, Sutton PR                     Lleucu Cooke | Communications Officer

T +44 (0) 207 1833577                                               Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales                                                                       

E jenny@suttonpr.com                                                T +44 (0)29 2057 3175

                                                                                    E Lleucu.cooke@museumwales.ac.uk

Notes to Editors:

The 2012 shortlisted artists include: Miriam Bäckström (Sweden), Tania Bruguera (Cuba), Phil Collins (England), Sheela Gowda (India), Teresa Margolles (Mexico), Darius Mikšys (Lithuania) and Apolonija Šušterši? (Slovenia).

About Artes Mundi:

Artes Mundi is an international arts organisation based in Cardiff, Wales. Established in 2002, Artes Mundi is committed to supporting groundbreaking contemporary visual artists from around the world whose work engages with social reality and lived experience.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is principal sponsor of the Artes Mundi 5 Exhibition and Prize.Artes Mundi is publicly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and by Cardiff City Council.  Other funders include The Colwinston Charitable Trust, The Derek Hill Foundation, The Myristica Trust and the Waterloo Foundation.

About Wales’ National Museum of Art:

Wales’s National Museum of Art opened on 9 July 2011, showcasing the full range of the nation’s world-class art collection under one roof at National Museum Cardiff. For the first time, the National Museum’s mix of fine and applied art, from the historic to the contemporary, is shown in a single series of integrated galleries, giving a new visibility to art in Wales and to the art of Wales.

The West Wing – six impressive new contemporary art galleries – is the biggest space of its kind in Wales. Previously, the Museum had only one gallery to display its range of modern and contemporary art, which is one of the UK’s most important collections. This development gives the Museum nearly 800 square metres more space to show the strength and range of art produced in Wales since the 1950s, and how this relates to the international scene.