Dan Shelton, 23, sealed himself inside a wooden crate the size of a portable lavatory and was picked up by the Securicor freight company from his house in Brighton. The box, which had a single air hole, was then delivered by van to the London gallery where he was released two hours later.

Mr Shelton said that the idea to post himself came from the technique used by inventors, who sealed their plans in a postmarked envelope to prove when they came up with their concept. He had turned himself into living art to explore the way that artists are seen as objects, he added.

The crate, which was tied with a ribbon, also contained blood samples and nail clippings which would prove who he was. He added: “I had a little bench seat and a light which ran out after half an hour. It was all right, but by the end of the journey I desperately needed to go for a wee.

“When I arrived at the gallery — five minutes early — the box was taken out and the ribbon was cut. A number of people from the Tate came out and applauded.” He had received permission from the Tate for his delivery, but was told that he would not be commissioned for his work.

He had been unable to send himself by the Post Office because he was over its weight limit. The project was funded by a £10,000 award created by the notoriously eccentric artistic couple, Charles Webb and his female partner, who is known only as Fred. Mr Webb is best known for giving away the film rights for his book The Graduate for £14,000 in 1963. The film, starring Dustin Hoffman, went on to make £60 million.

Mr Webb and Fred, who live above a Newhaven pet shop, funded the prize from the sale of the rights to Mr Webb’s latest novel, New Cardiff. The award was designed to help creative people who are regarded by society as “barking mad”.

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