Film professor scoops Turner Prize

6:53am Tuesday 2nd December 2008

Mark Leckey has been named as the winner of this year's £25,000 Turner Prize for an exhibition that included cartoon characters such as Homer Simpson.

Felix the Cat, Garfield, and the Titanic movie also appeared in a film by Leckey, where the artist was seen lecturing on his love of animation.

The 44-year-old, who emerged as the bookies' favourite, was born in Birkenhead and graduated from Newcastle Polytechnic, later moving to London.

He was named as the winner at a ceremony at London's Tate Britain hosted by Nick Cave.

The Turner Prize is awarded for a body of work - not just that showing in the exhibition.

Leckey was shortlisted for his solo exhibitions Industrial Light & Magic at Le Consortium, Dijon, and Resident at Kolnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, combining sculpture, film, sound and performance.

The jury commended the intelligent, energetic and seductive nature of his work.

They said in a statement: "With wit and originality, Leckey has found a variety of forms to communicate his fascination with visual culture."

Leckey was appointed Professor of Film Studies at Stadelschule, Frankfurt am Main and became a founding member of "musical collectives" Donateller and Jack too Jack.

Speaking about his work before the announcement, the artist, who is fascinated by how flat images can become 3D, said: "I want to transform my world and make it more so. Make it more of what it is."