A CONTROVERSIAL art exhibition, said to be both enchanting and disturbing, is to be shown in Canterbury Cathedral.

Called 18: 1-7, The Crypt, it uses a combination of sound, vibration and large scale digital imagery which will be beamed inside the historic building.

The work is being devised by installation artist James Cattell who says the juxtaposition of digital projection and 14th century carving "will provide an engaging parallel between contemporary and medieval work".

In particular, there will be large scale projections of a two-month-old baby together with the sound and vibration of the human voice.

James, 25, is a former student at Simon Langton school and Leeds University fine art graduate who this year has been artist-in-residence at St Edmund's School, Canterbury.

He put on a small scale digital installation in the school chapel which was seen by the Dean of Canterbury, the Very Rev Robert Willis.

He was impressed by the experience and the Dean and Chapter subsequently approved a similar exhibition in the Cathedral to be staged in September.

It will coincide with a live web-cast onto the Cathedral website and a week of lectures and workshops.

Among the speakers will be Janet Street-Porter and representatives from Christian, Jewish and Muslim talking about life and death against the background of the anniversary of September 11. The exhibition will run daily from September 7-13 after Evensong.