Overview

• The showcase at Cartwright Hall was unveiled to the press and opens to the public on Saturday, with organisers projecting more than 100,000 visitors.
• The four shortlisted artists are Nnena Kalu, Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami and Zadie Xa, with the winner to be announced on December 9 in Bradford.
• Multiple early reviews from titles including the Times, the Telegraph and the Independent single out Sami’s oblique, war-charged paintings as the favourite.
• The Guardian’s Adrian Searle backs Kalu, highlighting her suspended sculptures, repetitive drawings and the careful support provided by ActionSpace for the learning‑disabled artist.
• Matić’s installation fuses photography, sound and a banner reading “No Place”/“For Violence,” while Xa creates an immersive, shamanism‑inflected environment with shell speakers and a reflective gold floor.