"The Gates" art installation in Central Park

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Is anyone actually excited by this? It just sort've looks like scaffolding to me. What's the big deal? Do they honestly expect tourists to flock to this?

Explain/defend/discuss

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

I AM FLOCKING TO THIS

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:05 (twenty years ago)

i am pretty psyched to see it, yeah. been a fan of christo and jean-claude for years but never have had the opportunity to see their works in person

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:07 (twenty years ago)

except i never usually make it up to central park, so.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:07 (twenty years ago)

it's not like it's hard to get there, dude.

― Allyzay Dallas Multi-Pass (allyzay), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:08 (twenty years ago)

I'm not knocking it, but I just don't see it, so to speak. Am going to check it out this weekend and will report back.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:09 (twenty years ago)

xpost - no, it isn't. i just can't be bothered to go above 40th street.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:09 (twenty years ago)

I can't wait for your bitter take on it, Alex.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:10 (twenty years ago)

i want to see it up high from a building. christo rocks xpost

― come on sock it to me, Friday, 11 February 2005 05:12 (twenty years ago)

Who says my take on it will be bitter? Maybe I'll have an epiphany.

Y'know...or not.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:12 (twenty years ago)

actually the only park i go to with any regularity is fort greene park, because it's close.

i will check this out tho, like i said. christo and jean-claude = awesome.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:13 (twenty years ago)

evn though, from up there, i fear it may look like a_um giant stream of urine? how very new york city
xpost

― come on sock it to me, Friday, 11 February 2005 05:13 (twenty years ago)

You just sort've look like a bitter man to me.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:14 (twenty years ago)

i fear it may look like a_um giant stream of urine?

Is your urine orange, kephm? Stop eating so many carrots.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:14 (twenty years ago)

You just sort've look like a bitter man to me.

Funnily enough, someone on another thread recently said things didn't seem to bother me too often. Go know.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:15 (twenty years ago)

I too will head straight for this in the form of a one-man flock.

― Guayaquil, Friday, 11 February 2005 05:17 (twenty years ago)

the christo and jean claude show at the ago in toronto is fucking amazing

― anthony, Friday, 11 February 2005 05:23 (twenty years ago)

I have never understood the Christo point, but these actually look pretty interesting. I'll probably miss them too because I never go to the park and I live 4 blocks away. Maybe I will see them from above?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 11 February 2005 05:23 (twenty years ago)

i never eat carrots

xpost:yes, from above man. there we go, i can sleep in peace now.

― come on sock it to me, Friday, 11 February 2005 05:27 (twenty years ago)

Christo always sounds goofy, but -- at least from photos I've seen -- his stuff usually looks pretty cool. I've been walking through the park every few days, watching it come together. If nothing else, it's interesting to see such a huge space so dramatically altered. I'm looking forward to seeing it in full flutter. Too bad the snow's gone -- I hope we get some more in the next week or so, because I think that would heighten the effect.

I guess my basic reaction is that it's fun. Also raises lots of potentially interesting artsy-fartsy issues about the nature of the park and public space in general, the role of art, populism vs. elitism (you can make a case for Christo being either or both), etc. But mostly it seems playful -- and for New York in February, playful is an achievement.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:30 (twenty years ago)

B--b-b-b-b-b-b-ut are you excited about it?!

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:38 (twenty years ago)

Sure. Like, less excited than I was about seeing M.I.A., more excited than I am about seeing The Aviator.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:41 (twenty years ago)

(also, it's free, and I'd have to go out of my way not to see it, since I cut through the park on my way to work)

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:42 (twenty years ago)

YOU'D HAVE TO BE A REAL DICK TO HATE ON SOMETHING THAT'S FREE

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:43 (twenty years ago)

FWIW, every one of the Maysles / Christo films is a TREAT.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:43 (twenty years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0300101384.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

This book is really great if you're interested in Christo or the Gates or if you just like pictures of scaffolding and fabric.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 06:47 (twenty years ago)

This looks so cool. More orange outdoor art installations, plz.

― Fish fingers all in a line (kenan), Friday, 11 February 2005 07:01 (twenty years ago)

I do think it's funny how all the promotional materials call the color "Saffron," like it's some mystical Buddhist thing. It's orange! (University of Tennessee orange, to be exact -- I'm a little afraid of some drunk Vol alums rampaging through the park with a big 'T' stencil and a case of white spray paint.)

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 11 February 2005 07:07 (twenty years ago)

"Tstencil"

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Friday, 11 February 2005 08:09 (twenty years ago)

― Remy (x Jeremy), Friday, 11 February 2005 09:20 (twenty years ago)

I will be there, looks awesome.

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 11 February 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

I wonder if the scaffolding will fall down and kill someone!

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 11 February 2005 20:26 (twenty years ago)

I was just going to say, didn't Christo kill somebody with his giant umbrellas? STAY AWAY IF YOU LOVE LIFE!

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 11 February 2005 20:28 (twenty years ago)

Pfft. I can't wait to get stoned and walk through this.

― shookout (shookout), Friday, 11 February 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

NO! IT'S A TRAP!

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 11 February 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

I'll wait til Presidents Day. I hope they kept this out of the Ramble so as not to interfere with the ~~cruising~~ birdwatching.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Friday, 11 February 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

Me on my first excursion deep into the Ramble: "Boy it sure is nice back here. Not many people either. Oh, except for that guy. Just...standing there. Huh. La la la. Oh look, another guy just...standing there. And, uh, two guys walking up out of the underbrush. And...oh. Right."

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Friday, 11 February 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

pictures of Christo's exhibits taken from above almost always seem much more interesting than experiencing them at eye level (or at least i imagine), which is why the concept of the gates gets me a little more excited then if he had, i dunno, wrapped something. or stuck umbrellas somewhere. however, i wish he could've picked a medium more interesting than gates. doesn't really spark the imagination much. i'm going tomorrow for sure, though...

― lemin (lemin), Friday, 11 February 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Well, it is 7500 gates, so he's not exactly going soft on this one.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Saturday, 12 February 2005 00:21 (twenty years ago)

My favorite Christo piece ever:

http://ontologicalmuseum.org/bookgiftshop/christo/christo-j-20-the-walloberhausen1999-2611802.jpg

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Saturday, 12 February 2005 00:22 (twenty years ago)

GO BIG ARNJ WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

(ps forget that the Lady Vols lost to LSU 2day, kay?)

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 12 February 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

i'm going to check it out when i'm in nyc in a couple of weeks

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Saturday, 12 February 2005 04:04 (twenty years ago)

I won't be in NY again until June. :(

― Fish fingers all in a line (kenan), Saturday, 12 February 2005 06:01 (twenty years ago)

It's funny that it's called "the Gates" because of the fabric. Maybe gates in paradise, or in a shopper's paradise.

― youn, Saturday, 12 February 2005 06:07 (twenty years ago)

They just devoted a Nightline show to this, and it included a couple Sierra Club members decrying as a travesty on the park, that it "doesn't belong" there because people go to parks to "look at trees," etc.

― nickn (nickn), Saturday, 12 February 2005 08:23 (twenty years ago)

the sierra club also hates immigrants, sometimes. sigh.

― hstencil (hstencil), Saturday, 12 February 2005 08:27 (twenty years ago)

To the SC's credit, I don't think it was any kind of official position, just that the two (or maybe just one of the two) self-identified as members.

― nickn (nickn), Saturday, 12 February 2005 09:43 (twenty years ago)

But it's Buddhist Orange! It's all mystical, man.

Hippies just ain't what they used to be.

― Fish fingers all in a line (kenan), Saturday, 12 February 2005 09:47 (twenty years ago)

the sierra club also hates immigrants, sometimes. sigh.

as above, there is a movement of anti-immigration people (who are far more concerned about immigration than "the environment") who joined the sierra club and tried to take over its leadership so that they'd have a left-friendly tie-in/brand.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 12 February 2005 17:06 (twenty years ago)

This is being taken down on the Feb. 28 just in case people were going to be putting off seeing it.

― S!monB!rch (Carey), Saturday, 12 February 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 80 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

OR OMG ARE THEY IN A LINE? THEY'RE IN A LINE SORTA RIGHT? OK HERE'S THE THING, ON THE LAST ONE, THE SOUTHERNMOST ONE, WHATEVER, SPRAYPAINT WRITE ON IT 'ORANGE YOU GLAD I DIDN'T SAY BANANA?'. PLZ.

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

"and certainly not artists!" = actual real art rockist alert!!!

if it's settled (which it plainly isn't), then it can't have been DUCHAMP that settled it (by duchamp;'s own argt), it was "everyone else" that settled it, by agreeing w.him

except not everyone does agree w.him (even if you and i and peter schlejdhal all do) (proof of our agreement = our arguing bitterly w.each other) (bcz duchampianism is in fact an ART CRITICAL PROBLEM qed)

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

i saw the models of this at that big arts gallery last may... they looked really pretty (some were like these orange gates made of like toothpicks on this black and white photograph of central park), i think seeing the actual thing will be disappointing.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

and the fact that they spent like 10 years (or more?) campaigning for this to happen.. the build up is way too much i think.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

"and certainly not artists!" = actual real art rockist alert!!!

um, no.

if it's settled (which it plainly isn't), then it can't have been DUCHAMP that settled it (by duchamp;'s own argt), it was "everyone else" that settled it, by agreeing w.him

right so darwin didn't settle anything either, it was just the many scientists afterwards, the fossil record, etc., etc.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

that's SAFFRON YOU GLAD I DIDN'T SAY BANANA (xxxxxpost)

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

and the fact that they spent like 10 years (or more?) campaigning for this to happen

the idea was first introduced in 1979.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

i mean jeez mark s i expect a lot more from a guy who decries the term "influence."

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

isn't the build-up and the campaigning part of the "piece" w.christo? (i gave this book to my best actual real artist friend for xmas but i forgot to read it first)

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

the build-up and campaigning is a collaboration between christo, jeanne-claude, and the douchebags who have run this city since 1979.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

ie. koch, dinkins, giuliani, bloomberg.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

i'm probably forgetting one too.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I think it's always partly just about the process of convincing people to get behind an enormous and seemingly absurd project.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

one of the only things i like about mayor bloomberg is that he seems to care about art -- he was the first mayor to support "the gates," and he was opposed to the MTA ban on subway photography. (many many xposts)

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

he seems to care, but it's only in a poncey rich dork kind of way. but yeah, that's obv. much better than giuliani trying to shut down the brooklyn museum or whatever.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

the gates are stupid. if i ever get around to seeing it, i'm going to take a shit on the leg of one. how do you like that art?

― etyewy, Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

how do you like central booking, etyewy? hahaha that will be hilarious.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

that's like 10 years behind damien hirst dude.

xpost

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

ok well do it soon, etyewy... it's closing this weekend.

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:07 (twenty years ago)

The "Orange you glad I didn't say banana" idea was much better than the shit idea.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

I'm sure the shitting has been done already. Bum dung.

― Fish fingers all in a line (kenan), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:12 (twenty years ago)

"right so darwin didn't settle anything either, it was just the many scientists afterwards, the fossil record etc"

i think the word "settled" must mean something difft to us : \

my defn: an argument is settled by ALL the people involved in it (or it is not settled)

duchamp (and darwin) made proposals which were then debated, discussed, explored, challenged blah blah blah

how is this even slightly contentious?

in fact they are both still challenged in fact: this is not contentious either (though how to respond to these challenges is HIGHLY contentious)

i happen to think that — in accord w., the thinking of both duchamp AND darwin, as far as i can see— you're more likely to face a challenge successfully if you take it seriously (instead of pretending it doesn't exist, for example, or just mocking it and brushing it off)

but other ppl think this approach gives the challenge too much credibility, or actually hands over the keys of the farm b4 the argument even begins

the fact that there is such a difference in defensive strategy is one of the reason i think it is strange to say the argument is "settled" (unless "settled" means something i don't think it does)

at best the duchamp question is surely currently only "settled" within specific self-defined communities of thought: if you're arguing that other communities don't matter, then i do actually think yr undermining a key part of duchamp's actual position (i think yr being rather momus-ish abt it, actually)

i am a bit dubious about schlejdahl's approach to this conundrum as a tactic (as i said, it panders somewhat), but i am far less dubious abt the practical realism behind it (realism in re: this battle is by no means won)

of course you may be right in yr intepretation of PS's sentence, but that doesn't make yr point abt the argt being over any stronger

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:25 (twenty years ago)

surely i could have used the word "actually" more often in that post

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:27 (twenty years ago)

the transforming all the flags into UT flags idea is the best yet.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

i s'pose i am being a bit momus-ish, i pretty much agree with most of what you're saying, mark. i'm kinda using "settled" to mean "opened" which in many ways i think are almost very similar things (tho intuitively they're not). see also: cage.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

posted on gothamist yesterday:

http://www.gothamist.com/images/2005_02_gatessnow.jpg

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:06 (twenty years ago)

Wow.

― C0L1N B... (C0L1N B...), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:32 (twenty years ago)

God, I never shroom anymore but I'd do it for that.

― LeCoq (LeCoq), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

I have some great pics on my camera. I'll upload them should I ever leave the office.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Tuesday, 22 February 2005 23:41 (twenty years ago)

http://home.comcast.net/~jefframirez/IMG_0803.JPG

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Thursday, 24 February 2005 03:04 (twenty years ago)

YES, BUT DID YOU /LIKE/ IT?

― Ian John50n (orion), Thursday, 24 February 2005 03:10 (twenty years ago)

I think it's v.cool. Especially that Christo has created something that people will actually experience, rather than view. (I mean wrapping the Reichstag was kind of cool, but this time you're actually a part of the installation) Incredible. More pics please!!

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 24 February 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

There was a point after all!

― Aaron A., Sunday, 6 March 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

Thank you, tourists! Here's your hat, what's your hurry?

― Fish fingers all in a line (kenan), Sunday, 6 March 2005 02:16 (twenty years ago)

Next: Penguins!

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 6 March 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

Do you mean bringing them to Central Park? Will they get along with the ducks?

― youn, Sunday, 6 March 2005 04:54 (twenty years ago)

i imagine there are already penguins in the cp zoo but i've never been.

― hstencil (hstencil), Sunday, 6 March 2005 05:05 (twenty years ago)

LOTS AND LOTS OF PENGUINS!

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 6 March 2005 05:12 (twenty years ago)

Will they march along the paths where the gates were? Orange for winter, black and white for spring? Nice weather for penguins.

― youn, Sunday, 6 March 2005 05:47 (twenty years ago)

Everything as unnatural and as expensive as possible please.

― youn, Sunday, 6 March 2005 05:48 (twenty years ago)

There are indeed penguins in the CP Zoo, or there were 15 years ago when I would watch them on my lunch break (when I worked in the gift shop).

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 6 March 2005 07:30 (twenty years ago)

there are polar bears too!

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 6 March 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

maybe there should be a procession of purple polar bears (like this poor fellow at an Argentine zoo -- the purple was a side effect of the medication for his skin condition).

http://www.gothamist.com/images/2003_7_purplebear.jpg

― jbr (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 6 March 2005 15:00 (twenty years ago)

It looks sad.

― youn, Sunday, 6 March 2005 23:17 (twenty years ago)

When I went to the gates with my mom and cousin (visiting for the day), we also went to the Historical Society and the Met. Both were absolutely fuckin packed, which is unsurprising and also really, really wonderful.

― Ian John50n (orion), Sunday, 6 March 2005 23:24 (twenty years ago)

That's cute.

― Who did release magic family out from the base of $499 (deangulberry), Monday, 7 March 2005 00:02 (twenty years ago)

Historical Society exhibit on Alexander Hamilton > Gates.

― Ian John50n (orion), Monday, 7 March 2005 00:30 (twenty years ago)

four years pass...

I guess this is the de facto Christo thread... sad news today.

http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/JChPagePortraitKopie2.jpg

Jeanne-Claude, 74, American artist and resident of New York City, died suddenly November 18, 2009 as a result of of complications due to a ruptured brain aneurysm.
Christo is deeply saddened by the passing of his wife, partner and collaborator and is committed to honor the promise they made to each other many years ago: The art of Christo and Jeanne-Claude will continue.
Christo is dedicated to completing their current works in progress: Over The River, Project for the Arkansas River, State of Colorado, and The Mastaba, Project for the United Arab Emirates, as Jeanne-Claude would wish.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude met in Paris, France in November, 1958, sharing the same date of birth and have worked together for 51 years creating temporary works of art.
It is Jeanne-Claude's wish that her body be donated to scientific research.
A memorial will be announced at a later date. Christo requests that flowers not be sent. Memorial gifts may be made to the charity of your choice.
http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Thursday, 19 November 2009 21:14 (fifteen years ago)

Jeanne-Claude RIP

― plaxico (I know, right?), Thursday, 19 November 2009 21:15 (fifteen years ago)

thank you

― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Thursday, 19 November 2009 21:20 (fifteen years ago)

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