TURNER

It's that time of the year when people argue over what constitutes art and get outraged as £25k is awarded to a British contemporary artist under 50.

Let's have a look at the 2011 Turner prize shortlist, starting with Karla Black, who likes to make sculptures with temporary household materials. The delicate piece below is entitled What to Ask for Others.

Next we have Hilary Lloyd, who mixes still, moving image & sound in her projections and installations. Man, seen below, shows different sections of a picture of a man in underwear.

Martin Boyce follows, with his atmospheric sculptures, such as below's A Library of Leaves, which is a reinterpretation of an original 1950s design for a library table for the Maison de l'Etudiant in Paris.

Last we have George Shaw's paintings, with their own brand of drab observations and melancholic humour, as seen in below's The Resurface, which depicts a new bit of tarmac by some garages.

And there you have it. You can view all these pieces + more at the Baltic in Gateshead, where they will be on display until 8 January 2012. From a first glance we'd say George Shaw's paintings are our favourites, but best of luck to all!