A long-distance unicyclist has won a Somerset pub’s Turnip Prize for rubbish
artwork.
James Timms, 26, said he was “shocked and overwhelmed” to win the West of
England’s most worthless art award.
Judges say Mr Timms’ raw chicken stuffed with leaves, entitled Take a Leaf From
My Chuck, easily saw off competition.
The prize has been awarded by the The New Inn, Wedmore, since pub-goer Trevor
Prideaux started it five years ago. He launched the prize as a parody of the
Turner Prize.
Regulars at the pub vie with each other to produce “works of art” which they
reckon are just as worthy as some of the Turner Prize entries, reports the
Bristol Evening Post.
Mr Timms insists he’s followed the rules to the letter by putting no effort into
his work whatsoever.
Mr Timms said a “freak leaf-blowing accident in a farmyard” inspired his work.
“I like to think of it as interactive, because you can remove the leaves from
the chicken and put them back again,” he said.
Winning the prize was an emotional moment for Mr Timms. “Last year my entry was
a potted shrub with dark glasses and a magnifying glass, called Privet
Investigator. But I was disqualified for putting in too much effort,” he added.