Shortlist for £40,000 art award

Scottish artists Dalziel and Scullion are on the shortlist In pictures: Artes Mundi artists

The Aids epidemic and destruction of the environment are some of the issues reflected on by the artists shortlisted for the third Artes Mundi prize.

The £40,000 award, which is open to artists from all over the world, is presented every two years in Cardiff.

Work by each of the nine shortlisted artists, will be exhibited in the National Museum Wales from March 2008 with the winner announced in April.

The shortlist includes Scottish duo Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion.

Their work in photography, video, sound and sculpture is influenced by the Scotland's landscape.

Founded in 2002 the award is one of the world's largest visual arts prizes.

The shortlist was selected by curators Isabel Carlos from Portugal and Olabisi Silva from Nigeria.

"Our aim was to select exciting, emerging artists who provoke and debate the fundamental questions of life and art," said Ms Carlos.

Among the themes to emerge include man's relationship with the environment as seen in the work of Lida Abdul, whose works reflect the physical changes in her home country Afghanistan.

ARTIST SHORTLIST Lida Abdul (Kabul and California) Vasco Araújo (Lisbon) Mircea Cantor (Romania and Paris) Dalziel and Scullion (artist duo based in Scotland) NS Harsha (Mysore, India) Abdoulaye Konaté (Bamoko, Mali) Susan Norrie (Sydney) Rosângela Rennó (Rio de Janeiro)

Abdoulaye Konaté's textiles allude to the devastating effects of Aids in Africa, while Australian artist Susan Norrie explores industrial damage, nuclear testing and climate change through films.

The Artes Mundi 3 exhibition opens at the National Museum Wales, Cardiff on 15 March and will run until 8 June.

The prize is funded by a number of Welsh organisations, including the Welsh Assembly Government, the Arts Council of Wales and Cardiff Council.

Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas said he was delighted that the award was so successful.

"This clearly demonstrates that Wales is creative and innovative, both here and abroad, and that its culture has a rich past and a dynamic future that is developing strong partnerships across the world," he said.

Previous winners of the award have included Xu Bing, a Chinese artist whose work was made from dust collected on New York's streets after 9/11.

The second Artes Mundi prize was awarded to Finnish artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila in 2006.