Alberto Vilar, the world’s most famous arts patron over the past few years, but under criticism for not living up to some of his pledges, says “he can easily give away $50-million a year”, and “is on record as saying he is good for his pledges. Some of his Amerindo funds have suffered in the depressed stock market. He has also been in poor health. In his interview with this paper, he says he has had four surgeries in the past two years for herniated discs in his lower back. ‘I was at home for one year immobilized,’ he says.