Exhilarating and intense

"It's a huge honour to co-curate this year's Turner Prize at Ferens Art Gallery in Hull alongside Sacha Craddock,” said George, who is a curatorial fellow at the University. “I was appointed to the role in April this year, and feel very lucky to be working with such an exceptional group of artists.

“The first contemporary art exhibition I ever went to was the Turner Prize at Tate Britain and the prize galvanised my interest in studying Fine Art. I've taken a six month secondment from a fellowship at the university to be able to work on the show full-time and it's been such an exhilarating and intense experience.

“I've worked closely with the nominated artists to make the exhibitions, embedding it into the Ferens' beautiful galleries, and worked with a huge team across Hull City of Culture, Ferens and Tate to deliver an extensive public programme. It feels like a long way from curating exhibitions in my front room when I was a starting out as a graduate and I can't wait to see the public’s response.”

Most famous art award

The exhibition features work from the four artists nominated for the Turner Prize 2017 – Hurvin Anderson, Andrea Büttner, Lubaina Himid and Rosalind Nashashibi – and includes artwork ranging from painting and printmaking, to ceramics and films.

The Turner Prize is the art world’s most famous –and most controversial - award. Previous winners include Anish Kapoor, Grayson Perry, Rachel Whiteread and Gilbert and George.

Established in 1984, it aims to promote public debate around contemporary British art. Staged in a city outside London every other year, the exhibition showcases the work of four British artists. For the first time in 2017, the upper age limit has been removed, allowing artists of all ages to be shortlisted for the prestigious award.

Hatton Gallery

The University has another link with this year’s prize. In 2004’s Lubaina Himid’s Naming the Money, which has formed part of her Turner Prize entry, went on show at the Hatton Gallery. The gallery has undergone a £3.8m renovation and reopens to the public next month.

George's role in the exhibtion builds on a good week for the University's Fine Art Department, which was named the best in the country for art and design in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide for the second year running.

The winner of the Turner Prize will be announced in Tuesday 5 December at a special award ceremony in Hull, broadcast live on the BBC.