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Central Saint Martins graduate Rene Matić has been shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2025

Large piece of material strung from the ceiling with 'NO PLACE' printed in a large black font in the middle.
  • Written byEleanor Harvey
  • Published date 28 April 2025
Large piece of material strung from the ceiling with 'NO PLACE' printed in a large black font in the middle.
Rene Matić, AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH, Installation view, CCA Berlin, 2024. Photos: Diana Pfammatter/CCA Berlin.

Central Saint Martins (CSM) graduate Rene Matić has been shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2025. In an announcement last week, Rene, who works predominantly in photography, has been nominated for their solo exhibition AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH at CCA Berlin. They graduated from BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2020.

Rene sat on the floor, looking straight into the camera. They're in a relaxed position, with their arms over their knees. They're wearing a black vest and blue acid wash jeans, with a number of tattoos on their arms.
Rene Matić. Photo: Diana Pfammatter; Courtesy the Artist and Arcadia Missa, London

Their work explores concerns around belonging and identity; capturing fleeting moments of joy in daily life and expressions of tenderness, set within a wider political context. The shortlisted show featured highly personal photographs of family, friends and everyday scene alongside stacked images, installations and sound art.

Rene is the second youngest artist nominated for the prestigious prize after Damien Hirst. As well as this, the Turner Prize has only been awarded to a photographer once before - Wolfgang Tillmans in 2000.

Room of translucent bricks with a small black and white photo in the middle.
Rene Matić, AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH, Installation view, CCA Berlin, 2024. Photos: Diana Pfammatter/CCA Berlin
Layered photos resting on the floor, leaning against wood panelled walls
Rene Matić, AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH, Installation view, CCA Berlin, 2024. Photos: Diana Pfammatter/CCA Berlin.
Open cupboard doors set within a wood panelled wall. Inside the cupboard are 3 shelves, each with black dolls sat in rows.
Rene Matić, AS OPPOSED TO THE TRUTH, Installation view, CCA Berlin, 2024. Photos: Diana Pfammatter/CCA Berlin

The other nominated artists are Nnena Kalu, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa. An exhibition of all the nominated work will be held at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford from 27 September 2025 to 22 February 2026 as part of the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture celebrations. The winner will be announced on 9 December 2025 at an award ceremony in Bradford.

One of the world’s best-known prizes for the visual arts, the Turner Prize aims to promote public debate around new developments in contemporary British art. Established in 1984, the prize is named after the radical painter JMW Turner (1775-1851) and is awarded each year to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work. The Turner Prize winner will be awarded £25,000 with £10,000 awarded to the other shortlisted artists.

Turner Prize 2025 will be on show at Cartwright Hall, Bradford from 27 September 2025 to 22 February 2026.

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