NAME: MF Hussain
NATIONALITY: Qatari
CLAIM TO FAME: Was one of the first Indian artists to receive worldwide acclaim.
LIVES IN: Dubai/Doha/London
WEBSITE: www.mfhussain.com
I'll SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD
I've been busier than ever, never mind the age. I'm 94 now, but I'm working on new projects all the time - I've got one on the history of the Arab civilisation that's been commissioned by the ruling family of Qatar. Then there's one on the history of the Indian civilisation. But my next exhibition is themed around 100 years of Indian cinema in 2011. If all goes to plan, the exhibition will open in London next October.
HURT KEEPS ME GOING
What keeps me going at this age? Hurt is a big factor. I'm deeply pained by the controversies that have hounded me and my work in India. [Hussain's paintings of Hindu deities has resulted in much controversy among Hindu fundamentalists in India and the consequent legal wranglings have forced him to live in exile in Doha, Dubai and London. He recently accepted Qatari citizenship, a decision that caused much heartache among India's art fraternity.] All that hurt has actually pushed me towards creating more work. Maybe my work has not been understood by those questioning it now. It is similar to what happened to the Impressionists after the Renaissance period in Europe. The work of the early Impressionists was considered radical and it took a while before itwas accepted.
SCRIPTING A FILM
I'm working on a new film now - I will write, produce and direct it, just like my earlier films. This one's a comedy, much in the tradition of films made by the great Buster Keaton. The film is called Komedy.kom and like Keaton, I will use situations to create humour. So it's not necessarily about witty dialogues. The humour is very Indian. I'm currently writing the script. The casting hasn't been finalised yet, but the female lead I've in mind is Vidya Balan. I think she's perfect for the role.
WHAt's INSPIRATION?
I think the word ‘inspiration' means nothing to me. I don't think there's any difference between a bricklayer and a painter. Both have to be careful, both have to be good at what they do. That's all there is to it.
CARS ARE WORKS OF ART
I love expensive cars. I think a great car is a great piece of art that's also functional. In fact I'm now going to use five cars - Bentley, Ferrari, Jaguar, Rolls Royce and a Bugatti - and five glass horses as part of an installation at a new museum in Doha. The idea behind the installation is form follows function.
