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A work by Anthea Hamilton, Project for a Door which was included in the finalists for the Turner Prize. Yui Mok/PA Wire

This giant rear end hoovered up all the attention - but it's been beaten to the Turner Prize

The prize is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition, and has become synonymous with controversy in its 32-year history.

SCULPTOR HELEN MARTER last night won the Turner Prize, at a London ceremony where the art world rallied against xenophobia and intolerance.

The prize is awarded to a British artist under 50 for an outstanding exhibition, and has become synonymous with controversy in its 32-year history with previous winners including contemporary art agents provocateurs Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.

Marten (31) impressed the judges with her sculptures from unusual materials such as fish skin and snooker chalk, described by the jury as “an exceptional contribution to the continuing development of contemporary visual art”.

“They admire the work’s poetic and enigmatic qualities which reflect the complexities and challenges of being in the world today,” said Tate Britain, the gallery which hosts the contemporary art prize.

The London-based artist beat three other finalists to clinch the £25,000 (€30,000) prize, while those shortlisted will all receive £5,000 (€6,000).

Turner Prize 2016 Helen Marten, winner of the 2016 Turner Prize, in front of her installation Brood and Bitter Pass, at Tate Britain, London. Jonathan Brady / PA Wire Jonathan Brady / PA Wire / PA Wire

Of the other finalists – Michael Dean, Josephine Pryde and Anthea Hamilton – it was the latter’s sculpture of a male backside and a series of metallic chastity belts suspended from the ceiling which gained most attention in recent weeks.

Marten, from Macclesfield in north-west England, builds on the success of winning the Hepworth Prize for Sculpture last month which carried a £30,000 (€35,600) prize.

Britain’s Culture minister Matt Hancock celebrated the artist’s win on Twitter:

“Huge congrats to Helen Marten on winning this year’s #TurnerPrize – well done @Tate for a wonderful exhibition.”

The Guardian newspaper praised Marten as a worthy winner and “an artist who thinks differently from the rest of us”.

“Like flow charts and route maps, the pleasure of Marten’s sculptural arrangements is in going from one part to another, to be arrested and to set off again,” the newspaper said.

An ‘ever more precarious’ world

The turmoil of 2016 – including Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and the election of Donald Trump as US president – weighed heavily over the ceremony at the London gallery.

Receiving the award, Marten described the global outlook as “ever more precarious” and spoke out against xenophobia and the white nationalist “alt-right” movement which has come to the fore in the US.

Turner Prize 2016 Helen Marten speaks after winning the 2016 Turner Prize at Tate Britain, London. Jonathan Brady / PA Wire Jonathan Brady / PA Wire / PA Wire

“I think as artists today and as people in this environment we are deeply, deeply privileged to be sitting here with a community that’s lifeblood is its diversity and exuberance,” she said.

Marten’s comments followed those of poet Ben Okri, who announced the winner and praised art as “the biggest country in the world… it keeps no-one out and excludes no-one”.

“Now that the boundaries are narrowing and hearts are hardening… I feel we need art now more than ever,” he said.

Turner Prize 2016 A sculpture by Michael Dean, (United Kingdom poverty line for two adults and two children: twenty thousand four hundred and thirty six pounds sterling) which was one of the Turner Prize finalists. Yui Mok / PA Wire Yui Mok / PA Wire / PA Wire

Tate director Nicholas Serota said the strength of the Turner Prize lay in it encouraging people “to think about the world in new ways”.

“At a time when there are fears that we in the UK are becoming more insular and more inward looking as a nation, the Turner Prize reminds us that art opens us to new ideas,” he said.

The contemporary art prize, which is named after the great English painter JMW Turner, has been awarded annually since 1984.

© AFP 2016

Read: Cup of tea wins Laure Prouvost the Turner Prize

Read: And the winner is… Video about fatal shop fire wins Turner prize

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    Mute gerard carey
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:13 AM

    Art me arse.

    161
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    Mute Tweed Cap
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:37 AM

    “I really wanted to portray the enigmatic qualities which are an integral part of the worlds many complexities….” so I took a took a picture of me mates hole

    109
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:46 AM

    I thought it was a Kardashian selfie and therefore should have definitely won!

    34
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    Mute Big bad bull
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:58 AM

    There’s something stuck in me hole

    9
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    Mute Stephen murphy
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    Dec 6th 2016, 9:35 AM

    @gerard carey: Looks like Enda actually.

    9
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    Mute Mike Carroll
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    Dec 6th 2016, 1:33 PM

    Don’t think so as there is nobody licking it.

    8
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    Mute John Kennedy
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    Dec 6th 2016, 11:17 PM

    J Lo selfie

    1
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Dec 7th 2016, 1:39 PM

    Could double up as FG-/FF next election poster.

    1
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    Mute Upowthat Burke
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:13 AM

    What a load of BLX

    57
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    Mute Jimmyjoe Wallace
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    Dec 6th 2016, 8:06 AM

    Modern art is taking the piss.the emperor’s got no clothes.

    53
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    Mute Francid Dooley
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:14 AM

    Interesting…but stupid

    52
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    Mute John Mac
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:20 AM

    I made the mistake of flushing my art at about 4 am this morninf.I immediately regretted it because it looked like trump and mohammed holding hands to the backdrop of a glorious rainbow.

    Never mind, i ll prob have more art again about 11 o clock i reckon

    45
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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:33 AM

    Should make a pile if the piece ever goes to Sotheby’s.

    11
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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Dec 6th 2016, 8:47 AM

    Should make a pile!absolutely priceless Rory.

    7
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    Mute Tony O Dwyer
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    Dec 6th 2016, 8:45 AM

    Oh sweet Jaysus
    Is this what classifies as art now
    We`re doomed
    Imagine future generations looking back at art through the years , wait until they see this
    Not much better than that one who did`nt tidy her bedroom , thought that was very symbolic
    Me arse
    Up their own arses is what they are ,

    37
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    Mute Upowthat Burke
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:14 AM

    A lads this crowd are tearing the hole out of it

    32
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    Mute The Guru
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:04 AM

    Wouldn’t kill to smile

    27
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    Mute Adrian Moore
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:57 AM

    On the hole it’s a bit cheeky to call that arse…I mean art

    23
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    Mute Rob Cahill
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    Dec 6th 2016, 10:17 AM

    I remember one year a finalist had just stuck a toilet to a wall upside down.. If a plumber done that he would get sacked!!

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Dec 6th 2016, 7:46 AM

    Complete Ass hole!

    11
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    Mute Ewan Euphrenza
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    Dec 6th 2016, 9:50 AM

    Hard to believe so much modern “art” gets funding from governments. I recommend watching this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNI07egoefc

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    Mute Lily
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    Dec 6th 2016, 9:02 AM

    Mankind has always had a fascination with nude art. Look at the ancient Greeks!

    Though I must say some of their sculptures are divine.

    They also did very sexual graffiti.

    Homosexual art was displayed in the baths. Some pretty graphic stuff. Most ancient societies liked their phallic symbols.

    So this arse is nothing new.

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Dec 6th 2016, 12:14 PM

    That’s because they had less inhibitions back then than we have now Lily, taking ancient Greek art for example, many artists and sculptors of that time were inspired by the Olympic athletes who participated naked in homage to Zeus by showing how they had trained their bodies to their physical peak. Also this physical perfection could often be intimidating to their opponents. The artists were inspired by the physical prowess and movements. Depiction of phallic symbolism in ancient art and sculpture was usually attributed to fertility and virility, today most people would view it as porn. I’m not sure whether this particular style of art appeals to me but I can see the joke.

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    Mute Patrick Corr
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    Dec 6th 2016, 12:52 PM

    “Would you believe me own dog did this to me?”, “Doesn’t it look like a face?”

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    Mute Deirdre Mallin
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    Dec 6th 2016, 11:40 AM

    I read the heading too fast! I thought it said “a rear end shaped Hoover!!”

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Dec 6th 2016, 10:23 AM

    Caption” can you see it”? Is it a pimple or what?

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    Mute Tomred
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    Dec 6th 2016, 8:55 AM

    Art for art’s sake, money for God sake.

    1
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