Investigative agency Forensic Architecture has been shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize, the UK's most important art award.

The research group, based at Goldsmiths University in London, has been recognised for its investigative exhibitions, which recreate events using spatial analysis to reveal human rights violations.

Founded in 2010 by Israeli architect Eyal Weizman, the architectural investigative agency is currently working to create a 3D video of the Grenfell Tower fire.

The organisation has several other ongoing projects including defending a human rights organisation against allegations of colluding with people smugglers, a neo-Nazi murder case, and ethnic cleansing by ISIS in Iraq.

In 2016, the researchers came to prominence for creating an interactive model of a notorious prison in Syria from information seen and heard by detainees.

Forensic Architecture was praised by the Turner Prize jury "for developing highly innovative methods for sourcing and visualising evidence relating to human rights abuses around the world, used in courts of law as well as exhibitions of art and architecture."

The researchers are shortlisted for the £40,000 art prize alongside three other artists, Naeem Mohaiemen, Charlotte Prodger and Luke Willis Thompson, who are all tackling political or humanitarian issues, often using film.

"Following a thoughtful and rigorous debate, this year’s jury has chosen an outstanding group of artists, all of whom are tackling the most pressing political and humanitarian issues of today," said Alex Farquharson, chair of the award jury and director of Tate Britain.

"This shortlist highlights how important the moving image has become in exploring these debates. We are looking forward to what will be a dynamic and absorbing exhibition."

In 2015 London-based Assemble became the first architecture and design studio and the first collective to win the UK's most important art award.

The winner of the 2018 Turner Prize is set to be announced in December.

Work created by all four shortlisted artists will be displayed at an exhibition at London's Tate Britain from 25th September 2018 to 6th January 2019.

Images courtesy of Forensic Architecture.