This month (26th September 2017) sees the opening of this year’s Turner Prize Exhibition, at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull (UK City of Culture, 2017).

As usual, the work of the four nominated artists is up on show, with the exhibition running through to 7 January 2018. And this year it is the turn of artists Lubaina Himid, Hurvin Anderson, Andrea Büttner and Rosalind Nashashibi, so it promises to be a really interesting mix. (Click on the links to get their background information from the Tate’s own website.)

We have four highly relevant books that we want to highlight as you may want to delve even further, to link to their past exhibitions and to find out more about their work and how it has developed over time.

First up is Andrea Büttner’s Hidden Marriages. This is an artist’s book published by top publisher Koenig Books. It went alongside the artist’s exhibition at National Museum Cardiff in 2014. The museum has a world renowned collection of moss, and the largest collection of Gwen John drawings. She combined the two here by displaying pictures of moss and John’s graphic works. It creates a really interesting marriage of seemingly disconnected items in the museum’s collections and makes us think – ‘Where else to do hidden marriages lie?’

British Black Art: Debates on Western Art History features the work of Lubaina Himid. The book argues that British Black Art developed as it did due to social and cultural happenings in Europe – especially the anti-immigration policies of the Thatcher years here in the UK, resulting in riots. It takes a newly inspired look at Western Art History and how it considered the British Black Art movement in the past – mainly by marginalizing it. Other works featured are from artists Eddie Chambers, Sonia Boyce, Chila Kumari Burman, Keith Piper and Rasheed Araeen. This is a really interesting and important read.

Back in 2013 Ikon Gallery exhibited the paintings of Hurvin Anderson, producing a catalogue alongside – Reporting Back. This is another title that we’d like to highlight here. The book surveys the artist’s work up to that point, including his Peter’s Series – inspired by his upbringing in Birmingham’s Afro Caribbean community. You can really see how his painting style developed over the years.

Finally there is Film and Video Umbrella‘s You Have Not Been Honest. This was produced alongside a British Council exhibition surveying artists that were using documentary and narrative film structures in new and innovative ways. Many artists are included here, including Rosalind Nashashibi. Each section includes artist’s texts and biographies. There are also several essays discussing the surveyed works. If you are into contemporary film and video art then this one is for you.

I am sure you’ll agree that we certainly have some wonderful, relevant and interesting titles on our list. So you might want to delve even more? For example, did you know that we also distribute some artist films and video too? Here are two classics from previous prize winners, Jeremy Deller (Battle of Orgreave) and Rachel Whiteread (House), both produced by Artangel. They are DVD in format. Have a watch – it’s really fascinating stuff!  And don’t forget our very own HOME Artist Films on DVD, with the critically acclaimed Edith Walks: A Film by Andrew Kötting due out any day now.

Or have a search of our on-line catalogue and see other titles that you might just fancy purchasing. We have over 4000 on our list!

Photocaption: Installation View of Andrea Büttner: Gesamtzusammenhang, Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Switzerland, 2017 Photo: Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, Gunnar Meier