ART IN ARCHITECTURE: "HYBRID THOUGHTS OF FRANK GEHRY'
“Very few people have made art based on their being. Duchamp did it, the way he lived his life, playing chess, making objects that were not for sale, blurring the relationship of art and life. We don’t know if Duchamp was Duchamp. Tannen is about living, art and the world.”
Jeanne Nathan - How did you meet Robert Tannen?
Frank Gehry: I came to New Orleans, to work on the plan I was doing for the restoration and rehabilitation of Lafayette Square in the late 1970s. Tannen had called me to meet with me about the work. People had told me he was very involved in the city, and very interesting. So, we met at the Hilton. In thirty seconds, we were good friends.
JN: Why?
FG: I didn't threaten him, and he didn't threaten me. We just started talking about what we wanted to do. We disarmed each other, though what we tried to do ultimately did not work in New Orleans at that time. There was opposition in City Hall and in the neighborhood. We did not have the opportunity to reach an agreement on the work with those interested in Lafayette Park.
He invited me to a dinner of crawfish at his place. Tannen showed me some of his art, and I related to it, and to him. He was himself, instead of trying to be someone else. I've always liked that about him. People are often looking over their shoulders, worried about their status, their place in the pecking order. Tannen didn't do that. Approval doesn't seem to be important to him.
His "stuff"—his boxes, shotguns, the fish, and environmental kind of things—felt like home to me. He just never pretends to be anything he isn't. I think he probably cares, but he doesn't wait for what you say, he assumes it's OK. You can just kind of savor it.
You never understand where he's going to go. You're always surprised. Just like his latest thing. . . putting clothes in bottles. That took me off. It's about naturalness. . . making it easy. You don't have to do anything about it.
He doesn't appear interested in putting work in art galleries, museums, or in the media.
Read Full Article by Jeanne Nathan in the WINTER issue.
Street Date: Tuesday December 9th 2025.
Jeanne Nathan
Jeanne Nathan is an arts advocate, journalist, and community organizer based in New Orleans. She is best known as the founder of the Creative Alliance of New Orleans (CANO) and as a co-founder of the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC).
