And the Turner Prize 2006 winner is...German and a painter. How Bizarre.

Or weird, 'absurdly weird' indeed, that's how German-born artist Tomma Abts's work has been described by some critics.


Anyway, Abt has become the first woman painter to win the controversial-Turner-Prize in its 22-year history.
The judges said the 38-year-old had produced "compelling images that reveal their complexity slowly over time". Amen.
Abts has revealed that she starts work with no idea what she will create and allows the canvas to evolve as she paints. Alleluia.
More to the point, comes out of it - see on the right - a strange (and boring) impression of 'deja vu'.

The artist, who has lived in Britain for 12 years, beat poster artist Mark Titchner, sculptor Rebecca Warren and video artist Phil Collins - who set up an office which houses staff from his TV production company and where also features a film of Turkish people discussing how their lives have been ruined by appearing on reality TV. Why Turkish? Why not.

Collins's was the first "live" exhibit ever submitted - well, we had Grayson Perry, and he did win.

Give us time and we may end up longing for Damian's and Tracey's golden era. Wasn't it cool and British?

Turner Prize 2006