Turner Prize awarded to painter Richard Wright

Richard Wright, a 49-year-old British artist from Glasgow, was handed the £25,000 award for a series of abstract wall paintings inspired by medieval art, graphics and typography.

Carol Ann Duffy, the poet laureate, made the announcement at a ceremony at Tate Britain on Monday night.

In his acceptance speech Wright thanked his friends, family and the other nominated artists. "Just when you thought it was OK to relax, this happens," he joked.

Speaking afterwards, Wright said that receiving the award felt "shocking but very good". Asked how he makes a living given that most of his works are painted over, he said: "There's always a way if the world is with you".

Many art watchers expected Roger Hiorns to walk away with the prize for a body of work that included a jet engine reduced to metal powder and a condemned south London flat that he turned into a blue crystal grotto, with the aid of copper sulphate solution.

Some 80 per cent of bets went on 34-year-old Hiorns, said a spokesman for William Hill, the bookmaker.

However, in the end members of the Turner Prize jury, which was chaired by Stephen Deuchar, director of Tate Britain, opted for Wright.

Tate, which organises the annual contemporary art prize, described his work as "subtle and exquisite wall paintings that respond directly to the architecture in which they are created".

When the Turner Prize exhibition opened in October, Richard Dorment, art critic for The Daily Telegraph, described Wright as being "like a Renaissance fresco painter" who "damn near steals the show".

Wright's geometric drawing painted in gold leaf were, he said, "that rare thing in the Turner Prize – a work of dazzling, incandescent beauty – harmonious, symmetrical, satisfying and sensuous".

Wright greeted the announcement by saying: "Just when I thought it was okay to relax, this happened."

Last year the jury came in for criticism for awarding the prize to Mark Leckey, for a work that featured Felix the Cat, Homer Simpson and a Honda car commercial. The shortlist was derided by critics as one of the worst ever.

This year's shortlist contained works that many said were more accessible.

The other two shortlisted artists were Lucy Skaer, show work included upright sculptures made of coal dust; and Enrico David, whose work concentrated on disconcerting images like two black mannequins bearing baseball bats.

Hiorns, Skaer and David were each awarded £5,000.