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Sunday, 17 April, 2005 .BBC

An artist who randomly vandalised nearly 50 cars for a project said the owners should be happy they were part of his "creative process".
Mark McGowan, 37, will exhibit pictures of himself scratching the vehicles' paintwork in London and Glasgow.

He said he had "keyed" 17 cars in Glasgow's West End in March and 30 in Camberwell, south London.

The Met police said the act was criminal damage and if allegations are made they will be investigated.

Mr McGowan added: "I do feel guilty about keying people's cars but if I don't do it, someone else will.

"They should feel glad that they've been involved in the creative process. I pick the cars randomly.

"I got the idea when my sister and brother-in-law's cars were keyed. Is it jealousy that causes someone to key a car? Hatred? Revenge?

"There is a strong creative element in the keying of a car, it's an emotive engagement."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Clearly this would be criminal damage and if we receive any allegations we will take them very seriously and investigate."

Meanwhile, Strathclyde Police said: "We are aware of Mr McGowan and have no comment to make at the moment."

His work will be displayed on Wednesday night in a launch party at The Arches, an exhibition venue in Glasgow.

It is the latest in a string of bizarre stunts by the postgraduate in history of art from the prestigious Goldsmiths College in London.

Mr McGowan, who has described himself as "the British alternative to David Blaine" nailed his feet to an art gallery last year - in protest against leaves.

In 2003, he attracted the media's attention when he pushed a monkey nut with his nose for seven miles to 10 Downing Street in a protest over student debt.

Michelle Jordan, a spokeswoman for the Scottish Arts Council, said it was unlikely Mr McGowan would receive any funding.

"He is more likely to get a visit from Strathclyde's finest than any funding from us."

I did that once! Well not 30 cars, but nice pretty pattern on my brothers bonnet.

Well he deserved it!

Someone 'signed' my Daughters car................her boyfriend saw it being done. When the 'Artist' went to court he had both arms in plaster but still got 'SORTED'

Tuesday April 19, 12:06 PM :ITN

An man who routinely scratched the side of cars with a key claiming it was art has admitted his story is a hoax.

Mark McGowan, 37, claimed he had "keyed" nearly 50 cars in Glasgow and in the Camberwell area of London.

But the Londoner has now admitted he made it all up after police launched an investigation and a Glasgow gallery where he had been hoping to display his work refused to acknowledge him.

Mr McGowan, who describes himself as the British David Blaine, said: "I never keyed any cars - it was just an art project that has gone horribly wrong. The whole thing has been a nightmare.

"My family and friends have shunned me, I'm worried Camberwell police are going to bang me up for every car crime and that no other gallery will exhibit my stuff.

Mr McGowan claimed the vehicles in two pictures of him apparently vandalising cars had been staged photos to make it appear he had carried out the vandalism.

Previous stunts have included pushing a monkey nut with his nose seven miles to Downing Street and rolling himself for over four miles while singing Christmas carols.

And in another perplexing move, he claimed that despite his recent troubles this weekend he will "put 17,200 multi-coloured clothes pegs on a Japanese woman with cancer" because he believes pegs could be an holistic treatment