Mumbai: Acclaimed painter M F Hussain today (Jan 14, 2004) described Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) as the new cultural ambassadors of Indian art and culture even as he dismissed allegations of phenomenal price tags as being cheap gimmicks.

"A country's identity comes through its art and culture. As age passes, everything else withers but art and culture alone survive," he said after the launch of his painting exhibition at the National Gallery of Modern Art.

"But it is not enough to hope for the Government to promote Indian art and culture. We need people. Right now the NRIs are our cultural ambassadors. They have the dynamism to promote Indian art and culture," Hussain said.

Speaking on the issue of price tags, he said, "Price tags are not a gimmick. You can't get a price till there is some substance. You just can't go to a roadside shop and pick up a Rolls Royce. Can you?"

To a question that people accorded more weightage to a Hussain tag sans a basic understanding of a painting, he said, "People in this country are intelligent. They are able to understand a painting. If you go to Rajasthan, you can see the rich mix of colours. The forms might be basic but the understanding of colour, the blacks, the reds, the oranges is fantastic."

However, on being pointed out that those who understand his paintings could not afford one, he said, "But why should one always buy a painting? One can just view it and enjoy it. It is not necessary to possess a painting to enjoy it."