Unhappy confinement for the artist known as Leon

DRAWINGS and graffiti by a man living in a plywood box for art go on show this week, writes Kate Watson-Smyth.

The artist, known only as Leon, emerged from his isolation on Monday after a week without food and having thrown a tantrum so violent that the gallery was forced to close.

Visitors to Brighton Media Centre had to be ushered away from the 7ft by 7ft crate when Leon began hurling abuse at onlookers. Nicky Tolton, operations manager, said Leon had been angered by people banging on his box to see his reaction.

"He just lost his rag," she said. "He was screaming abuse and banging on the side of his box with a tin pot which he used as a loo. It was quite frightening and we decided that it would be best to close the gallery for two hours until he calmed down."

The 30-year-old artist said he had suffered for art to make a comment on how mankind manipulated the individual. Leon's work will be on the Internet from today at www.squat.com/c6.