Artist shows 'dead' Doherty work

Howson's drawing of Pete Doherty depicts him as dead

A Scottish artist has drawn images of Pete Doherty in which the Babyshambles singer is depicted as dead.

The six paintings feature in a Glasgow exhibition by Peter Howson.

Howson, who has battled drug and alcohol addiction, said the pictures were intended to act as a warning against drugs.

A spokesman for Doherty said: "Peter Howson has never met Pete as far as I am aware, so I don't know where he's getting his inspiration from."

He added: "We have not seen the drawings and I don't see how Peter knows that much about Pete's lifestyle."

Howson became established in the 1980s as one of the "New Glasgow Boys", a clique of painters concerned with portraying social issues.

He is also known for his distinctive figurative paintings of the Bosnian war and the singer Madonna.

Howson said: "Pete Doherty is someone who has really interested me over the last few months.

"His spiral downwards reminds me of what I went through myself and I can identify with the way he is acting.

"Me wanting to paint him dead was pointing the finger at him and saying 'You can influence a whole generation'.

"He could, if he wanted to, become the right kind of hero."