Austrian artist Helmust Zwerger is best known for his paintings of celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kappor and others.Also having painted Hollywood stars like Arnold Schwarzeneger, Zwerger opts for Bollywood as he is very curious to know why are stars appreciated so much by Indians.
When asked about his first brush with the canvas, he says, “It was a pure coincidence that I started painting; I am a dentist and a jazz pianist. For a long time, I had no idea what a brush looked like. My wife fell ill and I used to buy her a canvas and easel to paint. However, she prefers watercolours. The easel and the canvas stayed in the living room for a month, unused until I thought it would be a good idea to try painting myself. I painted a saxophone.”
He adds, “I find Mumbai great. People are very nice to me. I like to paint all day. Perhaps it is good that I paint Bollywood stars in Mumbai. I feel India as a country is a very mysterious place and has a lot to offer.”
Zwerger’s artworks boast of abstract colours and shades that he has discovered along the way. He explains his works, “There is no difference between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Aamir Khan. For example, they both are perfect at their work. I usually try to get behind the persons in my paintings. So I painted Vijay Mallya as somebody who loves life. It’s a very vivid portrait with lots of red and yellow.”
“For a European, India is mysterious. There are many things about India that attract me. Mumbai has some magical attractions, and therefore I decided to exhibit my paintings for the first timehere,” he concludes.
Helmust Zwerger’s latest work Myraid Moods will be showcased at the Jehangir Art Gallery from today.
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