Cultural Life: George Shaw, artist

Shaw says: 'I found the film 'Neds' quite terrifying because it stirred in me the fear of violence I had as a child, but it also stirred in me the fear of violence I have now.'

Visual: Arts Paul Housley's show at the Poppy Sebire gallery was a very refreshing arrangement of paintings and sculptures – I was knocked out by it. It was that combination of a serious committed painter and someone who is also very aware of how ludicrous it is to be locked in a room and painting all your life. It was odd to see the sentiment that I experience, and many artists do, shared in such a public space.

Music: The most recent records I've bought have been soundtracks from films. I'm really enjoying the music to Ken Loach's 'Kes'. Also, the soundtrack to 'Get Carter' and 'The Wicker Man'. I've recently bought the re-print of The Cure's 'Seventeen Seconds'.

Books: I've been reading Philip Larkin's 'Letters to Monica'. I love his personality, which is reflected very well in the letters. I really respond to that net-curtained Englishness – I nod away thinking, 'I know what you mean'.

Television: At the moment I've been watching DVDs of old telly. There was a series called 'The Changes', made in 1975, which I managed to get hold of. I've been watching one of those every evening. There's another series called 'Children of the Stones', which is set in Avebury in the 1970s. It's about the magic power of the stones there. Both of those shows lurk in the back of my imagination and have done for years.

Films: I found the film 'Neds' quite terrifying because it stirred in me the fear of violence I had as a child, but it also stirred in me the fear of violence I have now. Another film I enjoyed a lot recently was 'Sleep Furiously'. It's a documentary made about a farming community in North Wales, made by Gideon Koppel. It tells the story of this rural community and is set to a soundtrack by Aphex Twin.

George Shaw has been nominated for this year's Turner Prize