Independent research agency Forensic Architecture has been shortlisted for the 2018 Turner Prize, one of the world’s best-known prizes for the visual arts based in UK.

The spatial research company is comprised of 14 team members of the interdisciplinary group, including architects, activitist, journalists, lawyers, scientists, archaeologists and filmmakers. The group, based at at Goldsmiths University in London, documents and sources the production and presentation of architectural evidence, with buildings and urban environments and with their new media representations. 

Counter Investigations: Forensic Architecture at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, installation view. Image © Mark Blower

Aiming to create a robust debate in human rights, architecture and legal circles, the company's media files are comprised of models, drawings, maps, web-based interactive cartographies, films, animations, satellite images, smart-phone images, to contribute to the field of investigate journalism, human rights and activism. 

Forensic Architecture, founded in 2010 by Israeli architect Eyal Weizman, was praised by the jury "for developing highly innovative methods for sourcing and visualising evidence relating to human rights abuses around the world, used in courts of law as well as exhibitions of art and architecture."

Naeem Mohaiemen, Charlotte Prodger and Luke Willis Thompson are among other artists who have been shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize, alongside Forensic Architecture.

This corridor in the prison, known to be linear, was experienced by a survivor while he was tortured and the space was distorted by the traumatic conditions at the moment the memory was encoded. Image courtesy of Forensic Architecture, 2016

In a press release by Tate Britain, the organisation listed their selection of works by Forensic Architecture, which includes "their participation in documenta 14 and their solo exhibitions Counter Investigations: Forensic Architecture at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, Forensic Architecture: Towards an Investigative Aesthetics at MACBA Barcelona and Forensic Architecture: Towards an Investigative Aesthetics at MUAC Mexico."

"Following a thoughtful and rigorous debate, this year’s jury has chosen an outstanding group of artists, all of whom are tackling the most pressing political and humanitarian issues of today. This shortlist highlights how important the moving image has become in exploring these debates," said Alex Farquharson, Director of Tate Britain. 

"We are looking forward to what will be a dynamic and absorbing exhibition. We are very pleased to announce our new partnership with BNP Paribas whose generous support of the Turner Prize will allow us to give young people greater access to some of today’s most relevant and inspiring contemporary art," added Farquharson.

Forensic Architecture is currently working on the Grenfell Tower Fire in London, which exploded on June 14, 2017 and killed 12 people in the building. The company's spatial investigation focuses on creating a 3D video of the Grenfell Tower to deploy how the fire exploded.

Saydnaya prison, as reconstructed by Forensic Architecture using architectural and acoustic modelling. Image courtesy of Forensic Architecture

In 2016, the group developed an interactive 3D model of a Syrian Torture Prison, in collaboration with Amnesty International. Their work monitored the Syria’s prisons and detention facilities which caused thousands of people to being tortured inside the building.

Conceived as 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, it is awarded to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work in the twelve months preceding 16 April 2018. 

The Turner Prize award is £40,000 with £25,000 going to the winner and £5,000 each for the other shortlisted artists. In 2015, London-based Assemble was the first collective group receiving this prestigious prize. 

The 2018 winner for Turner Prize is set to be announced in December.

Top image courtesy of Forensic Architecture

> via Tate Britain