Helen Marten

Helen Marten is a contemporary British artist born in 1985 in Macclesfield, England. She studied at the Ruskin School of Art at the University of Oxford and received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Central Saint Martins in London in 2008. Marten was awarded the Turner Prize in 2016 for her work, which often incorporates a range of materials, including found objects, sculptures, and text, to create intricate and layered installations.

Marten's work explores themes of materiality, language, and perception. She is known for her use of everyday objects, such as buttons, toys, and packaging, which she combines with handcrafted elements to create complex and often cryptic narratives. Her works often challenge the viewer to consider the relationships between different elements and the meanings that can be derived from their combinations.

Marten has exhibited her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including at the Serpentine Gallery in London, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the 2019 Venice Biennale. She has received several awards and accolades for her work, including the Hepworth Prize for Sculpture in 2016 and the Lafayette Prize in 2011.

In addition to her artistic practice, Marten is also a writer and editor. She has contributed to various publications, including Frieze magazine and ArtReview, and has also edited a book on the work of artist Ian White.