ABOVE: Detail of Simon Starling’s Shedboatshed, part of Starling’s Turner-prize-shortlist exhibit. Starling was named winner yesterday.

The Turner circus packed up its tent and rolled out of town yesterday, as it was announced that Simon Starling would receive the £25,000 prize. Although the show [link has audio] of all four Turner-shortlisted artists continues until January 22, yesterday’s announcement, which was made live on Channel 4 in the UK, really marks the high point of the whole Turner gong-show. The remainder of the exhibit is pretty much mopping up.

Starling’s work, which includes a self-built electric bicycle and a shed that he rebuilt as a boat and then as a shed again, is all about reusing and recycling, and the jury said in the Tate’s press release that they “admired his unique ability to create poetic narratives which draw together a wide range of cultural, political and historical references.” Each of the other three shortlisted artists receive £5,000; the prize loot this year was put up by Gordon’s Gin, which seems like an awfully low-rent gin to be sponsoring the world’s biggest contemporary art prizes.

LINK: BBC > ‘Shed boat’ artist takes Turner