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7,500 bright, saffron-coloured 'gates' - supported
by 16-foot steel poles and curtained with a variety of widths of
fabric panels - covered 23 miles of Central Park's walkways. Standardised
in height and colour, the widths of the 'gates' changed with the
shapes of the paths. To some, these mass-produced pieces may seem
quite removed from the hand of the artist; yet the realisation and
the history of the project have proved otherwise. Rather than placing
a uniform distance between them, the artists specifically allowed
for the 'gates' to interact with the settings.
In a park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, with the aim of taking
people off the grid, 'The Gates' highlighted the many, winding paths
through and around the Park. The background of shades of browns
and dull greens from hibernating trees and plants, and the city's
natural steels and greys, served as a vibrant contrast. Many visitors
mused over what the installation would look like under different
conditions; in heavy snow, in full bloom, or in the autumn. It was
for this reason that people went there, making the experience of
the art both highly personal and yet extraordinarily collective.
This was an event to remember.
It takes a rare degree of creative obsession to orchestrate such
a project. There is something to be said for sticking with an idea
for 30 years and knowing not only that it could be done but, essentially,
that it had to be done. For Christo and Jeanne-Claude, whose canvas
tends to incorporate the outdoors, particularly the urban environment,
New York's Central Park seemed an almost obvious location for the
project. But it is interesting to think about some of the possible
sources for a work such as 'The Gates'. On a recent trip to Kyoto,
Japan, I visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine dedicated to the Shinto
god of the rice harvest. Here, visitors walk through over 14,000
orange torri, or temple gates, on the wooded hill behind the shrine's
main buildings. At the time of my visit, 'The Gates' had not yet
been installed, but I instantly felt that Christo and Jeanne-Claude
must have known about the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Here, the orange
torri are placed closely together, each an offering to the Inari.
Everything under the covering of these temple gates glowed orange
and the focus was on the private, intimate and everlasting approach
to the shrine. 'The Gates' provided a different understanding of
the visitor's context and the temporal nature of the project forced
a more public experience; it often felt like a performance piece
or 'happening', as both man and nature constantly changed the appearance
of the project.
True, 'The Gates' project was not loved by all; some felt it was
a colossal waste of money, some thought that it would be better
in other colours and some saw it merely as a giant advertisement.
Regardless of the varied opinions expressed, the sheer numbers of
people discussing conceptions of art and the role of art has been
one of the project's significant accomplishments. The conversations
in the city about the installation seemed endless; one taxi driver
worried about the true cost at first, but then went on to express
his gratitude for the money coming into the city. It was impossible
to get a seat at any of the coffee shops and restaurants close to
the park, the idea of catching a cab was even more daunting than
usual and lines were long for all of the museums. Not only did the
project get people talking, but it also got them outside and into
the city, helping to jump-start the city's economy by turning its
own residents into tourists and, hopefully, enthusiasts of new types
of art.
Regardless of influences or a quest for critical meaning, 'The Gates'
has entered the lives of thousands of people. They have sought out,
walked through, captured on film and talked about what they saw
in Central Park. Rarely are so many individuals faced so intensely,
or even forcefully, with art. Through 'The Gates', Christo and Jeanne-Claude
have asked people to rethink both their surroundings and the goals
of art. (We attach a Studio International cover from December 1985
- and see Capsules/March which was a major milestone at that time
- Ed.)
Doro Globus
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