BY CATHERINE COOK

Donegal's enfant terrible of the art world, Kevin Sharkey, has again stirred controversy with his new artwork which merges glamour model Katie Price with Moors Murderer, Myra Hindley.

The edgy new portrait, entitled 'Public Enemy Number One', went on display at an exhibition which opened in Dublin this week.

Another tongue-in-cheek work in the exhibition shows Angelina Jolie and Madonna passing each other in a supermarket, each with a trolley full of African children.

The controversial artist created the image after Katie Price, also known as 'Jordan', topped a poll as the most hated person in Britain.

In his new work, Kevin Sharkey has merged Hindley's distinctive black and white police mugshot with the reality TV star's face. The 47-year-old says the aim was to put the criticism of Jordan in context.

He said: "I am not a huge fan of Jordan but I've got nothing against her and I don't think she deserves the 'Most Hated' label.

"I got the idea for this piece when I read a newspaper headline that shocked me. The article described Katie as 'The most hated woman in Britain'.

"I couldn't believe that people could really feel that strongly about her when there's so much evil in the world.

"When I think of 'hated' women, the first person who comes to mind is the Moors Murderer Myra Hindley. I think the macabre black and white police photograph of her from the 60s is the epitome of evil. So I set about merging that iconic image with Katie's face, and I hope when people look at it they will immediately realise the two women are poles apart."

"I'm not looking to defend Jordan, but I hope I can make people think more seriously about the way they react to celebrities."

Hindley was jailed for life in 1966 for her part in the notorious Moors murders with partner Ian Brady. She died in prison aged 60 in 2002.

Relatives of the Moors Murderers' victims have, however, condemned the picture. John Kilbride was abducted and murdered by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady in 1963, when he was 12 years old.

Speaking this week, his brother Danny said: "It is about time these people grew up. An artist with real talent doesn't need to resort to tactics like this. I think it is pathetic that they feel they have to use Hindley's face."

The opening of Kevin Sharkey's exhibition co-incides with reports that Katie Price has this week married her cage-fighter boyfriend, Alex Reid, in a simple Las Vegas ceremony.

The image has also been reproduced on a T-shirt available on Kevin Sharkey's online store.