A PERFORMANCE artist who vandalised 47 cars in the name of art has said the vehicles’ owners should appreciate his “creativity”.

Mark McGowan, 37, chose cars at random in Glasgow’s West End and Camberwell in South London before scratching paintwork with a key.

It is the latest in a series of stunts, the most famous of which involved pushing a monkey nut with his nose for seven miles along the pavement to Downing Street to protest against student debt.

This time the post-graduate history of art student at Goldsmiths College, London, has attracted criticism from the Scottish Arts Council, and threats of prosecution.

Mr McGowan, of Peckham, South London said: “I do feel guilty about keying these people’s cars, but if I don’t do it, someone else will and they should feel glad that they’ve been involved in the creative process” Michelle Jordan, a spokeswoman from the Scottish Arts Council said: “He [McGowan] is more likely to get a visit from Strathclyde’s finest than any funding from us.” Strathclyde Police said that they were aware of Mr McGowan’s stunt, but no action had been taken.

Scotland Yard said: “Clearly this would be criminal damage and if we receive any allegations, we will take them very seriously and investigate.”

An exhibition of photographs showing Mr McGowan at work on the cars will be shown at The Arches gallery in Glasgow on Wednesday.