It’s that time of year again. A time when all of London, nay, all of the world, comes together to scratch their head, furrow their brow and collectively go: “What the hell is that? Is that art!?”

Yes, it’s time for The Turner Prize.

THE TURNER PRIZE

If you need a little art refresher course (and there’s no judgement here), this is what The Turner Prize is, from the website itself:

Since it was set up in 1984, the Turner Prize has become one of the best-known visual arts prizes. Each year, four under-50 artists are shortlisted, and the prize awarded for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation in the preceding year.

It’s also easily one of the most controversial art prizes in the world.

Now, I love The Turner Prize, mostly because of how much I usually haaaaaaaaate it. And that’s ok. Art should make you feel something and when I walk through the exhibition, a lot of my thoughts are basically, “This is awful.”

And I’m not alone. There have been yearly protests, eggs have been thrown inside the exhibition and anti-Turner Prizes have sprung up. In 2002, Culture Minister Kim Howells described that year’s Turner Prize as “cold, mechanical, conceptual bullshit”. ?

But I love going, just for those reasons, because art is angry and weird and wonderful, even if you hate it. Especially if you hate it.

As as my lovely fiancee said as we walked out:

“I left in a lighter mood. Whether or not I thought I liked it, it clearly had a positive effect on me, so I am glad that I went.”

This year, the format for The Turner Prize is Architecture and Design and the four artists shortlisted are Michael Dean, Anthea Hamilton, Helen Marten and Josephine Pryde.

THE TURNER PRIZE THROUGH MY EYES

Now, I’m not going to make any judgements here on my blog. This isn’t an art blog, this is a life blog, and life is about forming your own thoughts and path. And for the first time in the prize’s history, you’re actually allowed to take pictures inside the exhibit! In fact, they encourage you to livestream your thoughts as you go through with the hashtag #TurnerPrizeLive. Now, that’s pretty fantastic.

So what I’m going to do is just post what I saw, the best and the worst, and let you be the judge. Enjoy:

The Turner Prize is currently running at The Tate from now until January 2. Tickets cost £10.90 and can be bought here. The exhibit also has pay-what-you-can every Tuesday. Click here  for more or check out Yelp to see what other Londoners have thought in the past.

THE TATE

Additionally, here are a few extra shots from walking through The Tate, because it’s a beautiful museum and worth showing off.

So what do you think? This year’s Turner Prize, art or not art? Good or no good? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.