The sound of art: Philipsz wins Turner Prize

Susan Philipsz is favourite to win the prize for her sound installation, Lowlands

The recipient of this year’s Turner art prize will be unveiled at Tate Britain in central London later.

Glasgow-born Susan Philipsz is the bookies’ favourite to win for a sound installation that features her singing three versions of a Scottish lament over public address systems.

Dexter Dalwood, Angela de la Cruz and The Otolith Group are also in the running for the prestigious award.

The winner will take home £25,000 in prize money.

Each shortlisted artist automatically receives £5,000.

This year marks the first time a sound installation has been shortlisted for the prize, open to British artists or those who live and work in Britain.

Philipsz recorded three versions of Lowlands Away – a song about a man drowned at sea who returns to tell his lover of his death – for her work, entitled Lowlands.

Curator Katherine Stout said it was a “very physical” work that “plays upon the otherwise emptiness” of Tate Britain.

Dalwood’s works feature paintings that tackle well-known moments from recent history, among them the death of Iraq weapons expert Dr David Kelly.

Video artists The Otolith Group – Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun – revive forgotten works of the past using archive material.

De la Cruz, meanwhile, rips and folds her paintings in on themselves before displaying them in doorways, corners or on gallery floors.

The Turner Prize is awarded yearly to a living artist under 50 for putting on an outstanding exhibition in the previous year.

Painter Richard Wright won last year’s prize for his large-scale gold leaf frescos.

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