The 25th year of Somerset’s annual Turnip Prize spoof art contest is to marked with an exhibition in the village of Wedmore near Burnham-On-Sea.
The Turnip Prize is a spoof of the prestigious Turner Prize which is awarded to a top British artist – and in many years, has attracted even more interest than the real event.
Those considering entering are told that “entries should take the least amount of work possible.” The 2022 Turnip Prize winner with his entry “Cue Jumpers” is pictured above.
Trevor Prideaux, organiser of the Turnip Prize, says the award came about after a lively pub conversation among a group of locals about art installation ‘My Bed’ by Tracey Emin in 1999. It featured the artist’s unmade bed, complete with bits of leftover food and grubby sheets.
The installation had been shortlisted for the famous Turner Prize. It was sold for £2.5m at Christie’s in 2014.
Trevor says 2023’s awards will be celebrating 25 years of the Turnip Prize. Even though well over 100 entries are received every year from around the globe, Trevor routinely sticks to 69 entries every year during press interviews.
Trevor said: “We’ve taken it forward since that conversation so many years ago, so let’s see if we can come up with some works of art with the least amount of work possible.”
Every year the awards evening is held in The New Inn. The New Inn’s landlord Alex Herriot says the Turnip Prize award evening, which is always held on the same evening as the Turner Prize awards evening in London, was televised live last year.
Alex said: “I think it got more coverage than the Turner Prize awards. We had well over 100 entries last year from all over the UK, Australia, the States and Europe. The idea is the minimum amount of effort. If you put in too much effort, your entry is discarded.”
Timelines for the 2023 Turnip Prize:
Entries will be accepted for this year’s competition from Wednesday 1st November. Entries should take the least amount of effort possible to create.
To enter, post or leave your entry at The New Inn, Combe Batch, Wedmore, BS28 4DU. Please include your name or pseudonym, contact phone number and the title of your entry.
- 1st November – Entries Open
- 1st – 8th November – Exhibition of previous Winners and Finalists
- 21st November – Entries Close
- 5th December, 6.00pm. The Winner will be announced at The New Inn, Wedmore
For more, visit The New Inn in Wedmore, Facebook, or contact Trevor 07812 848011.
Turnip Prize winners over the 25 years:
- 1999 – David Stone – “Alfred the Grate”
A fire grate, containing two burnt loaves. - 2000 – Jacqui Redman – “The Minstrel Cycle”
A small bicycle made of Minstrel sweets and Tampons. - 2001 – Chloe Wilson – “Nothing”
Which was literally nothing! - 2002 – Jenny Vining – "Pissed and Broke (Piston Broke)"
A piston broken into several parts. - 2003 – James Timms – “Take leaf from my chuck”
A raw chicken stuffed full of leaves. - 2004 – Pearl E Queen – “Jellied Deal”
A wobbly jelly with submerged playing cards. - 2005 – Ian Osenthroat – “Birds Flew”
An empty bird nest containing a flu remedy. - 2006 – Ian Lewis – “Torn Beef”
An empty corn beef can. - 2007 – Bracey Vermin – “Tea P”
Used teabags in the shape of a P. - 2008 – Ivor Prance – “Fleeced”
A piece of sheep’s wool depicting John Sergeant. - 2009 – Frank Van Bough – “Manhole Cover”
A pair of large white Y fronts. - 2010 – Doug Pitt – “Chilli n’Minors”
One large chilli and three smaller chilli’s. - 2011 – Jim Drew – “Jamming with Muddy Waters”
A large jar containing muddy water and jam. - 2012 – Miss Quick – “The Three Tenas”
A pack of lady tenas with three sticking out of the top. - 2013 – Percy Long-Prong – “Play on Words”
A Shakespeare play on top of a dictionary. - 2014 – Ms Drunken Shepherd – “Ewe Kip”
A Sleeping Sheep. - 2015 – Bonksy – “Dismal And”
The Symbol ‘&’ Looking Dismal - 2016 – Plumskey – “Pole Dark”
A Black Pole - 2017 – Chris P Bacon – “Pulled Pork”
A Tractor pulling a Pig - 2018 – Stroke Me – “Collywobbles”
A Collie Dog on top of a Jelly - 2019 – Fanny Scorcher – “Bush Fire Down Under”
A Pair of Knickers with a Burnt Hole in the Front - 2020 – Herewe Goagain – “Lockdown”
A Padlock on top of a pile of Duck down Feathers - 2021 – Ching Ching Pi Pi Ee – “Panda Mick”
A cuddly toy Panda called Mick - 2022 – Li Instate – “Cue Jumpers”
A Pool Cue with two Jumpers placed on Top
