Art is very tricky because it's what you do for yourself. It's much harder for me to make those works than the monuments or the architecture.

I left science, then I went into art, but I approach things very analytically. I choose to pursue both art and architecture as completely separate fields rather than merging them.

I probably spent the first 20 years of my life wanting to be as American as possible. Through my 20s, and into my 30s, I began to become aware of how so much of my art and architecture has a decidedly Eastern character.

I try to give people a different way of looking at their surroundings. That's art to me.

You couldn't put me in a social group setting. I'm probably a terrible anarchist deep down.

To me, the American Dream is being able to follow your own personal calling. To be able to do what you want to do is incredible freedom.