Money for old rope

Artists are often accused of producing ropey exhibits, but one new talent has taken the challenge at face value.

Matt Calderwood has created a length of rope from a mile of toilet roll which he tightly twisted into a cord.

The rope - aptly titled Rope 2004 - has been bought by art mogul Charles Saatchi for £4,000.

It will be shown hanging from the ceiling at New Blood, the latest exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery.

The show has already courted controversy by promoting works by stripperturnedpainter Stella Vine - including one of heroin addict Rachel Whitear.

Calderwood, originally from Northern Ireland but now settled in North London, graduated in fine art from Sunderland University in 1997. He said Saatchi spotted the rope, made from 54 toilet rolls, at a small exhibition in Bethnal Green, East London, and bought it straight away.

He added: 'Things have moved very quickly but this is definitely much more exposure than I have had before. The rope was an idea I had for a while, it was just a question of finding a space to show it in.

'It looks plausible from a distance, and it's only when you get close up you realise something isn't quite right.

'I haven't done any tests but it should hold a person's weight - although I wouldn't recommend any tries it.'