Sebastian Horsley
Sebastian Horsley
#### A Maverick Writer, Artist, and Provocateur
Full Name and Common Aliases
Sebastian Horsley was born as Sebastian Henry Robert Horsley on August 9, 1975. He is often referred to by his first name or the initials "SH."
Birth and Death Dates
Horsley passed away on February 17, 2010.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Sebastian Horsley was a British writer, artist, and socialite. His profession was multifaceted, encompassing writing, art criticism, and performance.
Early Life and Background
Born in Kensington Palace to aristocratic parents, Sebastian Horsley grew up with the trappings of privilege but rebelled against his family's expectations. He was educated at the University of Bristol and later graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
Horsley struggled with depression and addiction throughout his life. His experiences informed much of his writing and art, often focusing on themes of decadence, excess, and mortality.
Major Accomplishments
As a writer, Horsley published several collections of short stories, including Dandy in the Underworld (2007), which was later adapted into a film. He also wrote for various publications, such as The Guardian and The Independent.
Horsley's art career spanned multiple mediums, from painting to photography. His work often featured provocative themes, pushing boundaries of taste and convention.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Horsley's notable works include:
Dandy in the Underworld, a collection of short stories that garnered critical acclaim and helped establish his reputation as a bold writer.
The Fall of the House of Lustig, a play that premiered at the Finborough Theatre in 2004, exploring themes of decadence and excess.
* His performance art piece, The Death of Sebastian Horsley, where he immersed himself in a glass case filled with cockroaches for 10 days to raise awareness about poverty.
Impact and Legacy
Sebastian Horsley's provocative style, unapologetic candor, and dedication to exploring the human condition left an indelible mark on the literary and art worlds. His work continues to inspire and challenge readers, who are drawn to his fearless exploration of darkness and despair.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Sebastian Horsley's quotes and writings offer a glimpse into his unflinching perspective on life, death, and everything in between. He remains widely quoted for his unapologetic honesty about his own struggles with addiction, depression, and mortality.
Horsley's artistic output, from writing to performance art, continues to captivate audiences who appreciate the unconventional and the avant-garde. His legacy serves as a reminder that true artistry often lies at the intersection of beauty and discomfort.
Quotes by Sebastian Horsley

An artist has to go to every extreme, to stretch his sensibility through excess and suffering in order to feel and to communicate more.

You may look back on your life and accept it as good or evil. But it is far, far harder to admit that you have been completely unimportant; that in the great sum of things, all a man's endless grapplings are no more significant than the scuttlings of a cockroach.

It’s really interesting because 50 years ago, if you didn’t wear a hat everyone looked at you. It just proves that everything is fashion.

I don’t think I’m known for my gifts – I’m known for my gall. I don’t want to be just a famous person – I’m too old.

I didn’t want to tell Mother I worked as a journalist. She thought I was a prostitute. Locking yourself in a room and inventing characters and conversations which do not exit is no way for a grown man to behave.

We build our character as a carapace to keep away the fear of the abyss. That’s what our character is for.

One of the many troubles of growing older is that it gets progressively harder to find a famous historical figure who hadn’t yet amounted to anything by the time he was your age.

The problem I’ve got is that I really, really like drugs. I love everything about them. It is horrific being sober all the time-utterly awful.

I don’t really know what Americans are like. I’ve no idea. I know a few things about them. In my imagination, they have warm peachy hearts, whereas the English have horrible spiteful withered hearts – success in England inspires envy – in America, it inspires hope.
