Bob Altman had this relaxed but serious attitude. Everybody loved him. I wanted him to adopt me.

Galleries began growing in both number and size in the late seventies when artists who worked in lofts wanted to exhibit their work in spaces similar to the ones the art was made in.

I had wanted a tape recorder since I was tiny. I thought it was a magic thing. I never got one until just before I went to art school.

What an artist is trying to do for people is bring them closer to something because of course art is about sharing. You wouldn't be an artist unless you wanted to share an experience a thought.

I started to make a study of the art of war and revolution and whilst abroad underwent a course in military training. If there was to be guerrilla warfare I wanted to be able to stand and fight with my people and to share the hazards of war with them.

My love of fine art increased - the more of it I saw the more of it I wanted to see.

I could be happy doing something like architecture. It would involve another couple of years of graduate school but that's what I studied in college. That's what I always wanted to do.

In my early 20s I was so miserable doing construction I wanted something that paid money. I liked nice stuff. I liked cars and architecture and things that cost money. I wanted to not swing a hammer and make money... and not do stuff that was dirty. I attempted to get into comedy. I started to do stand-up but I wasn't very good at it.

So while an incredible amount of progress has been made on this fifth anniversary I wanted to come here and tell the people of this city directly: My administration is going to stand with you - and fight alongside you - until the job is done. Until New Orleans is all the way back all the way.

I think that all the anger and cynicism comes from suppressing things that we always wanted.