US$ 1.4 million...but only 3% to the artist!
Veteran artist Syed Haider Raza’s 1985 work ‘La Terre’ has fetched a whopping 720,000 pounds($1.4 million), creating a record of sorts at Christie’s recent Modern and Contemporary Art auction in London. Surprisingly, when After Hours contacted Raza in Paris, he was unaware of the price that his painting sold for.
He expressed delight at the amount and he said, “ ‘La Terre’? It’s a good painting, very good painting, I am glad it has fetched that kind of a price.”
He, however, quickly added, “However, these fancy prices don’t matter to us because they don’t reach the painter anyway.”
Raza is very happy nevertheless. “These are the good results of 55 years of hardwork. It’s only since last two years that I am seeing good results for art. I remember in 1982, one of my paintings was auctioned for mere 7,000 pounds at the Royal Academy in London. From there to here it feels good,” he said.
Interestingly, only three percent of the selling price comes to the painter. “But I am a modest man and I am not a businessman, so these things don’t matter anymore. I have sold some paintings for even as less as 40,000 euros. I am happy though that my paintings are fetching good amounts,” he said.
Raza and his wife are currently working on a tribute to the late poetess Amrita Shergil. The Indo-French cultural association to be held in Gordio in France on July 13 will be attended by many eminent people from India, including artist Tyeb Mehta and theatre personality Alyque Padamsee amongst others.
“It will be an association highlighting all Indian art forms, including poetry, dance, sculpture etc. I am so passionate about this that I plan to carry on the work for 90 more years till the end of the century,” says the ever optimistic 85 year old.
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