Indian artist Sheela Gowda in line-up for top UK art prize

New Delhi: Sheela Gowda, who uses ordinary materials such as hair and cow dung among others to create artworks that refer to politics and society, figures among seven artists shortlisted for the 40,000 pounds Artis Mundi contemporary art prize this year. Bangalore-based Gowda, 55, whose sculptures and installations combines formal language of western sculptures with an exploration of how materials can make specific reference to social and cultural context of India has been picked from 750 nominations from over 90 countries. Miriam Backstrom (Sweden), Tania Bruguera (Cuba), Phil Collins (England), Teresa Margolles (Mexico), Darius Mikssys (Lithuania) and Apolonija Sustersic (Slovenia) are the other shortlisted artists for the fifth edition of Artes Mundi. The National Museum of Art in Wales will from October 6 onwards showcase for 14-weeks, works by the seven artists shortlisted for the prize sponsored by Bank of America Merrill Lynch as part of its Arts and Culture Programme, and publicly funded by the Arts Council of Wales and Cardiff Council. An international judging panel will award the 40,000 pound prize midway through the exhibition in November 2012. All other shortlisted artists will receive a new award of 4,000 pounds each. A new partnership with Mostyn, the contemporary gallery in North Wales, will also see one of the shortlisted artists present a solo show there in the 2013. "We are delighted with the exceptional quality of this shortlist.... I look forward to welcoming the artists to Wales and creating an exhibition in October that will give audiences the opportunity to engage with the most exciting international contemporary art," Ben Borthwick, Artes Mundi`s Chief Executive and Artistic Director said in a statement. PTI