Lubaina Himid becomes oldest winner of United Kingdom's Turner Prize

Lubaina Himid, 63, on Tuesday became the oldest winner of the Turner Prize, Britain’s most prestigious yet controversial visual art award, for her works celebrating black creativity. Judges praised the Zanzibar-born artist for the “seriousness of themes she addressed”, paying tribute to the “current vitality of Lubaina’s work as well as the current relevance” of it in three decades past. The winning artist said she felt “like I won it for a lot of people, so that’s why it means a lot. “For all the black women who never did win it even though they’ve been shortlisted. It feels good for that reason.” Musician Goldie presented the £25,000 ($32,000, 30,000 euros) award at the ceremony in Hull, northern England, to mark its year as UK City of Culture. The jury made its decision on the back of Himid’s trio of exhibitions in Oxford, Bristol and Nottingham, which showcased her paintings, prints and installations.