WATCH: Spectacular 3D Temple of Doom comes to Walsall

But looks can be deceiving. Prepare to be captivated by sheer barbarity and faced with a frenzied orgy of violence.

With more than 350 figurines assembled around a Rome temple, a stunningly crafted carousel spins 60 times a minute with LED lights flashing every 18 seconds.

At optimum speed it reveals a shocking sinister scene of Biblical brutality.

Although it looks as if it was sculpted out of marble it was, in fact, made by a 3D printer from resin, aluminium, plaster, and steel.

Using a Victorian optical illusion technique, the giant artwork, measuring 6.5ft (two metres) in height, width, and breadth, shows savage attacks on women and babies by King Herod's men in the Massacre of the Innocents.

A fat, naked man is flogging a woman. Another naked sadist is throwing a baby through a window on the upper floor of the temple. Among these moments of monstrosity lie heaps of dead babies in a mesmerising display.

Never has horror looked so beautiful.

The masterpiece uses the same principle of the Victorian optical toy known as a zoetrope.

A zoetrope is a device that produces the illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings, photographs, or figures which show progressive phases of motion.

"I had to find a work to go in Galleria Borghese in Rome in one room which had paintings of sex and violence on the ceiling and mob violent marble scenes on the wall with writhing bodies everywhere," said the artist.

"Massacre of the Innocents is one of those paintings which has a lot of naked bodies writhing your eye cannot rest on any particular part. It is constantly dodging around the painting and generates an anxiety and re-evoking a feeling of confusion and chaos.

"The zoetrope capitalises on this, literally repeating characters to create an overwhelming orgy of violence that is simultaneously appalling and compelling."

A typical zoetrope consists of a cylinder with slits cut vertically in the sides, and as the cylinder spins, a user looks through the slits at the figures or images within. As the slits move, their motion prevents the images from blurring and the user experiences the rapid succession of figures or images as being in motion.

Mr Collishaw said: "I redesigned a scene of the Massacre of the Innocents, using drawings, cardboard models and eventually CAD (computer-animated design) diagrams. These files were then 3D-printed and the entire scene was assembled.

"The Temple incorporating the characters was programmed to spin at 60 rotations per minute while a synchronised LED light opens in a new tab or window flashed 18 times every second."

The incredible artwork is on display on the fourth floor at Walsall New Art Gallery as part of the artist's biggest ever exhibition in the UK.

It is the first time All Things Fall has been shown in the UK, after exhibiting in Rome and Venice. It has received rave reviews.

"The comments have been extremely positive," said Hannah Anderson, exhibition co-ordinator at Walsall New Art Gallery.

"A lot of people have made repeated visits. We have had primary schools right through to university students. We are continually logging comments. They have included a five star review in The Guardian and a glowing report in the Sunday Times. One comment said 'why bother with London' another said 'horrible but fascinating', another said they had been 'challenged and enamoured'.

"I find this work mesmerising. Until you see it in reality you cannot appreciate how spectacular it is. His work is dark but seductive. You are drawn in by it and cannot take your eyes off of it.

"The work is based on the story of the Massacre of the Innocents, a Biblical story of infanticide by King Herod to avoid losing his crown. The tale has provided dramatic subject matter for artists throughout history including Rubens, Reni, Giotto and Tintoretto.

All of the 350 characters and architecture have been designed in the 3D Max programme and then printed as 3D models in resin. The circular sculpture rotates at speeds so high that the static scenes become suddenly animated. In this frantic and detailed scene, the eye struggles to focus on one point.

"It is constantly urged to move on and explore the multiple bodies in various contortions."

Mr Collishaw's exhibition runs until January 10 but All Things Fall will stay longer until the end of the month – meaning Black Country and Staffordshire residents have nearly two months to catch this remarkable piece on their doorstep.

Speaking about how the artwork will be received in Walsall, Mr Collishaw said: "To engage would be a good start, but after that, I have no real expectation of how anyone might interpret what I've done. It's an accomplishment if someone stops to look at art, even for a few seconds, since the largest portion of what people see is scanned and rejected.

"Ideally, I'd like them to spend a little longer, though. To get someone to look at something that is barely moving and has no narrative is an achievement. The ultimate goal is that this act of looking becomes something similar to meditation."

Mr Collishaw studied Fine Art at Goldsmith College, London. He was one of the so-called Young British Artists which included Damien Hirst. Over the past decade, he has seen his work exhibited in solo shows around the world at venues like the Cohen Gallery in New York, the Galeria d'Arte Moderne in Bologna, Italy, the Royal Academy of Art in London, the Saatchi Gallery and the Brooklyn Museum. So how has he ended up in Walsall?

"He had initially featured in the gallery's Nature of the Beast and discussions about a solo show were started between Mat and our head of exhibitions Deborah Robinson," said Ms Anderson.

"It is his biggest ever solo exhibition in the UK and the first in more than 10 years here. Together with him it was discussed what items he would like to exhibit.

"He was really enthusiastic about the show. Being from Nottingham he was excited about showcasing in the Midlands. We are extremely privileged to have Mat exhibit at the gallery.

"We do exhibit many accomplished artists but one thing everyone is starting to say it why hasn't Mat Collishaw had his own exhibition in the UK? He has been very active outside of the UK with his work on show in a lot of different countries. But we are privileged to host his first and biggest exhibition for 10 years."

Other installations on show include Deliverance.

It sees repeated projections onto walls coated in phosphorescent paint to present ghostly figures that appear suddenly and then slowly fade, only to be replaced by another. Last Meal on Death Row, Texas, is a stunning series of photographs, presented in the manner of Flemish still life painting.

Prepare to have your mind blown apart.