His show, which combines paintings, photographs and a film, is centred upon this experience. It finds a fresh treatment and contemporary relevance for one of art's longest established subjects.

Horsley's work has been described as "method" painting. "As an artist I don't want to paint things as they are but the way I feel and sense they are. I can only feel and sense how they are by undergoing the experience." He saw the pain of this experience as a necessary stage on the way to something more valuable. "An artist has to go to every extreme, to stretch his sensibility through excess and suffering, in order to feel and communicate more," he says. "I wanted to break the limits of life, to test the boundaries of reality. I wanted to hack off the ball and chain of personality. To see with real eyes - painting not to imitate reality but to make it real. No pain in the artist, no pain in the viewer. No tears in the artist, no tears in the viewer."

The photographer Dennis Morris, best known for his work with The Sex Pistols and Bob Marley, documented the crucifixion.

Sebastian Horsely's film "Crucifixion" was shot by Sarah Lucas and cut and scored by Gavin Rossdale, from the band Bush.

"Crucifixion" premieres at the ICA cinema, The Mall, London SW1 on 6 June at 6:45 followed by a talk between Sebastian Horsley and Will Self.

Crucifixion will be showing at Crucifix Lane Project. 1-5 Crucifix Lane, London SE1 from June 14th - July 18th 2002. 11am - 6pm weekdays. 11am - 2pm Saturday. The film will be screened continually during opening hours.

Crucifixion is Sebastian Horsley's third solo show. It follows his hugely successful Great White Series, which showed in May 1997 and The Flowers of Evil in April 1999 - both at the prestigious Grosvenor Gallery.