Yesterday, during the press conference in Oviedo, (Spain), in which Frank Owen Gehry took part to receive the Prince of Asturias Awards for the Arts, a journalist asked what he thinks of those who believe his works are nothing more than examples of “showy” architecture. He responded by flashing his irreverent middle finger!
He said that "in today’s world, 98 percent of the buildings are made of shit. They are cursed buildings which lack feeling, a sense of design, and respect for humanity".
As if that were not enough Gehry affirmed this Thursday that 98% of the buildings in the world are “pure shit”. What a temper!
In his opinion, there are very few people capable creating relevant works and that only rarely someone comes along and " does something special".
After his arrival at the Hotel de la Reconquista, the architect gave a press conference in which he grumpily responded to the questions asked. He later apologized for his behavior and blamed it on exhaustion caused by the trip.
“I was caught off guard and reacted”, he said while pointing to the reporter who asked him the “showy architecture” question. He then ordered that he be left to work in peace, saying he wasn’t looking to get hired by anyone there; that he doesn’t have publicists or agents and that he only fulfills the desires of clients who respect his art.
Gehry's best-known architectures include the titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum Bilbao , the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Biomuseo Panama, recently opened to the public, and the last building in Paris: the new Fondation Louis Vuitton, which will open to the public on next Monday 27 October 2014.
A lot of Gehry's works have been considered showy and so odd attractions by people and critics. What is your opinion about that?
Source: http://www.elmundo.es/cultura/2014/10/23/54492272268e3e55158b4591.html
75
56
48
86
-
Aurelio Ferro
-
Arber Sadiki
commentI agree with Gehry about his considerations of the quality of the buildings and constructions worldwide. But I do not agree about his architecture. For me the beauty of any object is not coming from the extravaganza of complicated and expansive compositions, but from the harmony with the materials and the natural surroundings. For example, in my opinion, Ludwig Mies van de Rhoe or Renzo Piano made much more interesting architecture.
Of course that world needs showy architecture too, but we should never forget that architects should face with million of homeless people, lack of education and health facilities, etc., which problems we never can't solve with Gehry's architecture.