Tinguely, Saint Phalle, Arman and Christo were among his Nouveau Réaliste artist friends. His friendship with Tinguely (and a meal with another friend) led to the residues of meals providing the basis of his ‘tableaux pièges.’ Tinguely also introduced him to Klein, Beuys and Vautier; Beuys, Vautier, Saint Phalle and Arman all made work for the gallery Spoerri ran above his restaurant. Maciunas published work of his, Hausmann was one of his correspondents, and when Roth moved to Iceland, letters to and from Spoerri became his main link with the art-world.