Nnena Kalu was ready for this nobody else was': how her Turner prize victory shook the art world

"The morning after the Turner prize ceremony, the winner of the UK's most prestigious art award, Nnena Kalu, is eating toast and drinking a strong cup of tea. Everyone around her is beaming only a little the worse for wear after dancing their feet off at the previous night's party in Bradford, and sinking a couple of brandies back at the hotel bar. I say hello to Kalu, offer my congratulations, and admire the 59-year-old's beautifully manicured creamy pink nails."

"Kalu has limited verbal communication skills; she has learning disabilities and is autistic. As for Hollinshead, she is struggling to encapsulate the enormity of the win: for Kalu herself; for ActionSpace, the organisation that has supported her for 25 years; and for the visibility and acceptance of artists with learning disabilities within the wider art world. It's unbelievably huge, she says. I have to think back to where we started, when there was absolutely no interest whatsoever."

Nnena Kalu won the Turner Prize and celebrated the morning after with toast and strong tea while companions recovered from the previous night's party. Kalu is 59, has limited verbal communication skills, learning disabilities, and is autistic. Charlotte Hollinshead has facilitated Kalu's practice since 1999 and ActionSpace supported her for 25 years. The award marks a significant boost for visibility and acceptance of artists with learning disabilities. Hollinshead described the victory as unbelievably huge and recalled long periods of no interest from galleries, artists, and students. Kalu's work features bulbous, multicoloured sculptures built from layered materials including videotape.

Read at www.theguardian.com