Mackie's work was judged to be "subtle, poetic and complex"

The Oxford-born artist's work, Version 2: Part 1, was praised by judges for being "subtle, poetic and complex".

Her installation is a wooden frame holding two projectors to display video and slide shows of flower petals.

Mackie beat five other artists - Donald Urquhart, Luke Fowler, Ryan Gander, Lali Chetwynd and Daria Martin.

Judge and former Turner Prize winner Wolfgang Tillmans said her work possessed a "resistance to snap reading" and became richer with each viewing.

Christina Mackie spent her youth in Canada before moving to London

Mackie spent her childhood in Canada but moved to London to study at St Martins School of Art and has held a number of solo shows since 2000.

The other shortlisted artists also received a share of the �40,000 prize fund.

Urquhart created his own perfume as part of an installation that was a graveyard "to all lost ideas and unrealised dreams".

Luke Fowler makes films such as What You See is Where You're At, a study of maverick psychoanalyst RD Laing.

Chetwynd used a life-sized Jabba the Hutt, from Star Wars, in a performance piece.

Gander's entry featured the gallery invigilator, who was asked to read the William Morris novel News from Nowhere. Gander's previous work has included recreating an office corridor.

Jabba the Hutt was at the centre of nominee Lali Chetwynd's work

And Martin made a film, Closeup Gallery, which portrays the relationship between a sleight-of-hand card trickster and his female apprentice.

The ceremony took place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London, where all six exhibits are being displayed until 15 May before moving to Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Arts.

The Beck's Futures prize was created in 2000 for UK-based artists and has become regarded as one of the most prestigious contemporary art awards.

Previous winners include Roderick Buchanan, Tim Stoner and last year's winner Saskia Olde Wolbers.