I have my habits, of course. I get up early or even earlier. I prepare for my day and make note of everything. Or I go for a run or do some healing treatment; I'm very health conscious. If I don’t have to leave the house, I start work in the morning. Then we have lunch. We take a long nap between 2 and 5 pm and start all over again, until midnight or often 2 am.
We started listening to “work songs” at the alternative school, like Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre and so on. We called them work songs. I really like the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.
A Man’s Life by Lajos Kassák. Master and Margarita by Bulgakov, which is also about life. Protected Men by Robert Merle. But I have many favourite writers; wonderful books full of funny stories.
Switzerland. Basel is my second home. I've been travelling back and forth since 1969. I also have 2 or 3 gallerists there.
I’m not really fond of eating out. There are 2 or 3 dishes I can make myself.
I don’t read newspapers much.
Nothing, really.
A good pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
I put ties and cigarettes in the same category. I don’t like either one.
My favourite is always the one I’m currently working on. The ones I don’t like I destroy.
With Kassák. I’ve actually had one with him.
József Mokos, my first teacher, the one who set me on this course. My teacher Lajos Szentiványi, and Gyula Hincz, the director of the Hungarian College of Applied Arts. He was the first to turn me on to Kassák. Then, of course, Lajos Kassák and Vasarely. And Bill Max, who advised me that if an artist does not wish to die of hunger but prefers to work as a free man, he should have a profession by which he can make a living. His architecture firm is likely still in business to this day. We were lucky to have screen printing as a way to make a living.
Play as much as you can. Get a feel for as many professions as possible. Stay where you feel most comfortable, where you’re not even aware of the passing of time. I recommend manual work, with all kinds of materials and trades; no philosophy, no humanities at all. I would ban writing and reading. These things contaminate people; I would encourage manual work only. Europe believes it can just sit around and think while China works. But this is not the way to go. We need creativity; drawing is very important. There are many different drawing methods and a good sense of shape and proportion is critical. Drawing is also an important part of Germany’s economy for example; they produce many drawing books. This is from what society can create added value.