Marcus Harvey ‘mortified’ by Hindley Olympics scandal

The controversy surrounding the use of a painting of Moors murderer Myra Hindley (pictured) in a promotional video shown at an official party to mark the handover of the Olympic Games to London will mortify the man who painted it, British artist Marcus Harvey, according to friends. When the portrait was exhibited at the Royal Academy's 1997 Sensation show it caused a storm and was frequently attacked by outraged visitors – one threw ink at it, another eggs. Now it's at the centre of an international row, with both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and London mayor Boris Johnson condemning the use of the art work.

Says a friend: "Although he's grouped together with the YBAs (Young British artists) who are well known for their shock tactics and love of publicity, Marcus couldn't be less like that. When he did the painting he felt he was making a serious art work that would provoke discussion about a difficult subject, not outrage."

That isn't the way Brown and London mayor Johnson see it – the latter calling the inclusion of the painting in the promo "deeply disturbing". It is an understandable if obvious reaction: the picture of the convicted murderer, who with her lover Ian Brady was jailed for life for the killings of four children in 1963 and 1964, is made up of children's handprints.

Harvey, 45, who is one of the few (living) artists Damien Hirst looks up to – they were both born in Leeds and have remained firm friends – is represented by Jay Jopling's White Cube gallery. However, although he is still very much an active painter (his works sell for £100,000 plus), a lot of his time is devoted to the art magazine he founded, Turps Banana, which encourages artists to write about the work of other artists. Friends say he is unlikely to take advantage of being in the spotlight again. "Knowing Marcus he will curl up in a ball, lock his door and say nothing." ·