Turner Prize winner Richard Wright denies allegations

(John Stillwell/PA)

Richard Wright with his artwork called 'no title' after he was awarded the 2009 Turner Prize at the Tate Britain.

Stuart MacDonald

Richard Wright, the surprise winner of last year’s Turner Prize, has dismissed claims that his friendship with one of the judges may have played a part in his success.

The 49-year-old painter from Glasgow said there was nothing “dubious” about his relationship with Charles Esche, one of the four judges, and that there was no way he could have decided the result.

Last week, critics claimed the pair’s friendship undermined the integrity of the £25,000 prize. Charles Thomson, the head of the Stuckist group of artists, which campaigns against conceptual art, said Esche’s decision to nominate Wright for the shortlist represented a “blatant conflict of interest”.

Confidential emails show that Esche, who declared his friendship with Wright but was allowed to remain on the judging panel, was unsure about what his duties were.

Wright said he knew Esche but added that he had also met the other judges before, with the exception of the broadcaster Mariella Frostrup.

“The art scene is a very small world and everybody knows everybody,” said Wright. “I do know Charles but he lives in Holland and the last time I spoke to him was about two years before the evening of the Turner Prize. He, along with a number of other people, curated an exhibition I did in 2000 and I did a project at the museum he works at but not with him. We are not buddies — we don’t go drinking together.

“I am astonished [that these questions are being asked]. I have also met Jonathan Jones and Andrea Schlieker [two other judges], the only judge I don’t know is Mariella Frostrup. I think you’ll find that’s the same for all the other artists, that they all have met the judges in some capacity. That’s not an unusual situation.

“It’s hard not to know these people if you are in my position and have been involved in the art scene for 30 years. It’s the nature of the business.

“I have no idea how the machinations of these things work but there are four judges, it’s not as if Charles could decide who won, and there was overwhelming public support for my work.”

Esche, the director of the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven, Holland, admitted he had known Wright “for many years” but said he had nothing to gain by nominating him.

Wright, who won the award for his untitled gold-leaf fresco, added: “It’s unfortunate if people want to make something negative out of it. I don’t feel there was anything in any way dubious about the way the prize was offered.”