Big buttocks and toy trains: The 2016 Turner Prize shortlist

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Thought-provoking, controversial and often downright perplexing, few things split opinion in the art world as much as the Turner Prize. This year's diverse selection of nominees seem set to continue the trend - and you can decide for yourself as an exhibition of their works opens today at Tate Britain, London.

Four artists are shortlisted for this prestigious prize, awarded each year to a British visual artist under 50, with the final winner announced in December. The works that earned them their place will be on show until January 2017.

One of the most headline-grabbing artists for 2016 is Anthea Hamilton. She has recreated her Lichen! Libido! Chastity! exhibition, originally staged at the SculptureCenter in New York, including a larger-than-life derriere inspired by Italian designer Gaetano Pesce, who originally conceptualised the unrealised work as a doorway into a New York apartment.

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Michael Dean, known for incorporating instantly recognisable and everyday materials into his sculptures, has taken a political stance for his entry. It consists of £20,436 in pennies – the minimum two adults and two children need to survive for a year in the UK, according to government guidelines. A coin was removed during installation, representing living under the poverty line.

The multidisciplinary works from Helen Marten challenge the viewer to see familiar objects in new way, with her collage-like pieces incorporating mediums including sculpture, screen-printing and writing. Elsewhere, Josephine Pryde has used her background in photography to inform her exhibit. Here, she has placed objects on kitchen worktops and exposed them to sunlight, creating a marking reminiscent of photograms - a negative shadow image popularised by artists such as Man Ray in the 20th century. Also on display is her work entitled The New Media Express in a Temporary Siding (Baby Wants To Ride), a model of a train tagged by graffiti artists from the cities in which it has previously been exhibited.

tate.org.uk