Legal block on Turner art

Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell have had to leave out one of their exhibits

Luke Leitch|Evening Standard11 April 2012

This year the Turner Prize's biggest talking point is not what's in - but what has been left out.

Artists Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell have been forced to withdraw one of their Turnernominated artworks - a film clip - because lawyers warned it was "potentially prejudicial" to a trial at the Old Bailey.

They have been forced to put a notice in Tate Britain explaining the withdrawal. Curator Lizzie Carey-Thomas said: "The artists are obviously very disappointed. It is a key work, but the legal situation is black and white."

The film, shot in Afghanistan, could influence the trial of Faryadi Sarwar Zardad, charged with "conspiracy to torture" and "conspiracy to take hostages".

Zardad, who ran a pizza outlet in Bexley, is alleged to have been an Afghan warlord who fled when the Taliban came to power. Zardad denies the charges.

Ms Carey-Thomas said: "We'd like to be able to install the piece but it all depends on the progress of the trial. We discovered only last week the trial was ongoing and were advised to remove the work."

Langlands & Bell's room is not totally empty. Works on show include a recreation of Osama bin Laden's house. Visitors are able to navigate their way around the house and a truck mounted with a machinegun by using a joystick. Another nominee, Jeremy Deller, has produced a huge work called The History Of The World 1997-2004, which links acid house and brass bands.

Deller charts the connections via links that include the notorious sound system Spiral Tribe, the miners' strike, the battle of Orgreave and Civic Pride. Deller also exhibits a film, shot in President Bush's home town of Crawford-Texas, and including an interview with the waitress who serves the leader of the Free World his cheeseburgers.

Third nominee is Kutlug Ataman, whose video installation shows interviews with people from southern Turkey, all of whom are convinced reincarnation exists.

The most colourful Turner candidate of the year, Yinka Shonibare, describes himself as a "post-cultural hybrid". His film A Masked Ball is a recreation of the assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden in 1792, enacted by a room full of fabulously attired dancers. His 3D sculpture The Swing recreates the 18th-century painting of the same name by Fragonard.

Judges will reveal this year's £40,000 winner on 6 December.