Helen Cammock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Cammock
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1970 |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Royal College of Arts (MA, 2011), University of Brighton (BA Hons, 2008) |
| Known for | Film, Image, Photography, Writing, Poetry, Spoken Word, Song, Performance, Printmaking and Installation |
| Awards | Max Mara Art Prize for Women, 2018 Turner Prize, 2019 |
Helen Cammock (born 1970) is a British artist. She won the famous Turner Prize in 2019. What was special is that she and the three other artists nominated asked the judges to give the prize to all four of them, and the judges agreed! This was the first time this had ever happened. Helen creates art using many different ways, like videos, photos, poems, spoken words, songs, prints, and art installations.
About Helen Cammock
Helen Cammock was born in 1970 in Staffordshire, England. She grew up in London and Somerset. Her father was from Jamaica and was an artist who taught ceramics. Helen's film 'Character Building' talks about the unfair treatment (racism) that she, her sister, and mother faced because they were a mixed-race family.
Helen worked for 10 years helping people as a social worker. When she was 35, she started studying photography at the Royal College of Arts. Later, she also studied at the University of Brighton.
Art and Travel
After winning the Max Mara Art Prize in 2018, Helen traveled across Italy. She visited cities like Florence, Rome, and Venice. During this trip, she made a special artwork called Che si può fare. This work explores the idea of women's lament. Lament is a way of expressing deep sadness, often through songs or poems.
Helen explains that she is interested in the sadness and loss that black women have experienced through history. She believes this feeling is often overlooked in world history. It is also very clear in stories of conflict and people who have had to leave their homes.
Helen's art often connects women's stories and voices from different times. She explores common themes like unfair treatment, women's rights, and working together. She also looks at how gender and race affect people's lives, both as individuals and as a group.
Art Exhibitions
Helen Cammock's art has been shown in many places. Here are some of her important exhibitions:
- 2020 - They Call It Idlewild at Wysing Arts Centre
This exhibition included videos and large signs (billboards) placed around the art center. The artwork asked questions like, "Can you remember when you last did nothing? When you last did nothing, can you remember how it felt?" Even though it was made before the 2020 pandemic, it seemed to show how our lives became still during that time.
- 2019 - Che si può fare
This artwork was first shown at the Whitechapel Gallery in London in 2019. It was also shown in Italy. The main part of the exhibition was a film with interviews. Helen talked to activists, musicians, historians, and artists during her time in Italy. The film also looked at the lives of women composers from the Baroque period, like Barbara Strozzi. People who saw the exhibition felt it showed how people can bravely stand up against unfair forces.
- 2019 - The Long Note at the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland
This film and art installation was nominated for the Turner Prize. It was shown at Turner Contemporary in Margate, UK. The artwork looks at the civil rights movement in Derry, especially focusing on the important role women played. It also connects the civil rights struggles in Ireland with the Black civil rights movement. In some parts of the film, Helen combines old videos of Nina Simone with videos from a time of conflict called The Troubles.
- 2017 - Shouting in Whispers at Cubitt Gallery, London
Awards and Recognition
Helen Cammock has received important awards for her art:
- 2018 – Max Mara Art Prize for Women
- 2019 - Turner Prize
See also
