Canadian artist Viktor Mitic doesn’t just paint beautiful paintings of iconic figures in pop culture, he shoots them with a gun. Ok, not literally. Mitic uses ammunition from a gun to outline his controversial “gunshot” paintings. Shocked by incidences of defacement of sacred works of art by fanatics (such as the destruction of Buddhas of Bamiyan by the Taliban) Mitic decided to use weapons in his art to create rather than to destroy. In honour of IFFAs which took place in Toronto, Mitic decided to create a painting of Amitabh Bachchan. He spoke to us about his unusual art and his interest in Bollywood.
Why did you decide you wanted to make art using ammunition?
VM: It really depends – I choose the ammunition appropriate to the subject and the effect I intend to achieve on canvas. In some cases like the John Lennon and Gandhi pieces I used the same ammunition that was used to end their lives. It’s all part of a concept.
How many bullets are used on average in one piece?
VM: Usually takes about 1000-2000 rounds to complete one piece. There was one case where I used 20,000 rounds in the span of 12 hours it was crazy!
How do choose who you are going to paint?
VM: Something has to click; I have to get the right vibe from the subject. People who have left an impact on today’s world are the ones that interest me.
Why did you decide to create a portrait of Amitabh Bachchan?
VM: I paint portraits of pop-stars and he is definitely a star. Amitabh Bachchan is sort of the godfather of Bollywood he reminds me of Al Pachino. I had to paint him; he is the perfect subject for what I am doing.
Do you watch Hindi films, do you have a favorite Bollywood movie?
VM: When I was a kid I watched the Sandokan series with Kabir Bedi. I remember running home from the playground to watch the episode every Wednesday night at 7. I like the extremes in Hindi movies with the death, singing and dancing, I find them fascinating. I really like the film Hum, the crime story with Amitabh Bachchan.
Do you have any plans of visiting India?
VM: I would love to go to India there is so much to see. I would love to experience the stunning scenery and meet the vibrant, colorful people. India is definitely on my list of places to visit.
What are the current projects you are working on?
VM: Currently working on the Rain Dance Series that is soon to be revealed tentatively in Fall 2011. Galaxy was the first painting in my upcoming Rain Dance Series it was first exhibited in Tokyo, Japan in 2008. The series has not been completed or fully revealed in Canada, as of yet. There is high anticipation for this series as well as a book that will complement my work.