By giving a middle finger, Gehry responded to a reporter who was asking the starchitect how he answers those who accuse him of practicing “showy architecture”! Right after that, the crowd fell silent and the moderator asked for the next question. But Gehry was not finished, according to El Mundo (translated by Gizmodo).
“Let me tell you one thing. In this world we are living in, 98 percent of everything that is built and designed today is pure shit. There’s no sense of design, no respect for humanity or for anything else. They are damn buildings and that’s it.
“Once in a while, however, there’s a small group of people who does something special. Very few. But good god, leave us alone! We are dedicated to our work. I don’t ask for work. I don’t have a publicist. I’m not waiting for anyone to call me. I work with clients who respect the art of architecture. Therefore, please don’t ask questions as stupid as that one.”
Again, this was followed by a long, uncomfortable silence from the crowd !
