Former KU senior lecturer wins 2012 Turner Prize

Kim Richters

A former senior lecturer at Kingston University has won the Turner Prize with a video installation.

Elizabeth Price, who received a fellowship of Kingston University’s Stanley Picker Gallery in 2005, was given the prestigious art award for an 18-minute video called Woolworths Choir of 1979.

Director of the Stanley Picker Gallery

David Falkner, the director of the Stanley Picker Gallery, said: “What Elizabeth has achieved within the five years from when she received our fellowship is incredible; her career has just taken off.

“It was fantastic that she came to Kingston. We’re really proud that fellows who have participated in our programme went on to achieve something so great.”

The video contains archived material such as images and stills of church architecture, the fire at the Manchester-branch of Woolworths, which killed 10 people in 1979, and music by the 1960s’ girl band The Shang-Las.

Price’s other work

The artist’s work At the House of Mr X, which she created while at the Stanley Picker Gallery, was recently on display again as part of the exhibition The Occupants: Contemporary Perspectives on the Picker House.

Mrs Price, who lives and works in London, and the gallery’s new exhibiting artist, Andy Holden, have also received the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Awards for Artists 2012.

Mr Falkner said: “As well as Elizabeth, the very first artist to receive a Stanley Picker Fellowship, designer El Ultimo Grito, has also been awarded with a prestigious prize. This shows that here at Kingston University, artists are provided with a great opportunity. With Elizabeth and other artists such as Andy Holden exhibiting here the students and staff at Kingston get to experience their amazing art first hand and for free.”

Price presented with award by Jude Law

The Bradford-born artist, who co-founded the indie girl-band Talulah Gosh while studying at the Ruskin School of Drawing at Oxford University, was given the £25,000 award by actor Jude Law on Monday. She beat fellow artists Paul Noble, Spartacus Chetwynd and Luke Fowler, whose work was also a video installation. They all received £5,000 for being nominated.

Price’s work, together with the artworks of the other nominees, will be on display at the Tate Britain until January 6. Tickets cost £10 but concessions are available.

Previous winners of the Turner Prize include Damien Hirst, and it is named after English painter William Turner. The prize, which is awarded annually to a British artist who is younger than 50, was first established in 1984.

You can view Price’s award-winning video here.