Canadian-based artist 'paints' portraits of Gandhi, Lennon with bullet holes!

London, Dec 11 (ANI): An 'gun' artist has created portraits of Gandhi and Lennon by 'painting' their pictures with bullet holes.

Viktor Mitic has created a controversial portrait of India's ideological leader Mahatma Gandhi and Beatles legend John Lennon, using gunshots and bullets.

Lennon was only 40-years old when he was brutally shot at outside his New York apartment by Mark David Chapman. And in a bizarre twist, the Canadian-based artist has used the same gun that was used to kill him, to paint his portrait.

Gandhi was also assassinated in 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist.

Mitic has even taken aim at John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of America. He was famously killed in November 1963 while waving to the Dallas crowd in an open-top car.

Even Jesus Christ, who was crucified by Romans, is showered with bullets in Mitic's depiction.

He uses a combination of semi-automatic handguns, rifles and shotguns to shoot holes into his canvases.

Other deceased folk include Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne and Chairman Mao. There are some living celebrities depicted, too. All of the people portrayed are iconic, recognisable figures.

Famous Americans, who are still alive, painted by Mitic include film director Quentin Tarantino, Paris Hilton and also British artist Damien Hirst doesn't escape the gunfire.

"I got the idea a couple of years ago. Just before the war in Afghanistan started," the Daily Mail quoted Mitic as telling BBC News last year.

"I watched the news and saw a military group destroying a 2,000-year-old sculpture of Buddha.

"I wanted to use similar energy. The weapons had been around for a number of years, but no one has used them to paint with yet. I wanted to use it as a tool of creation, rather than of destruction," Mitic added. (ANI)