Art enthusiasts wander through Central Park taking in the magnitude of "The Gates."/Courtesy Photo

by Jules Masterjohn

In the world of contemporary art, this has been an exciting few weeks as internationally renowned artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude presented their long-planned environmental public art work, "The Gates," in New York City. With the coordinated assistance of hundreds of workers, Feb. 12 saw the unfurling of 7,500 saffron-orange banners suspended over 23 miles of pathways in Central Park. This free, temporary installation, on display for 16 days, was conceived more than 20 years ago by the husband and wife team and is predicted to draw nearly 100,000 visitors to New York City. The creative duo has, as is their artistic reputation, transformed yet another outdoor environment into a beautiful interactive landscape for the enjoyment of people from around the world.

The first in this genre of large-scale environmental works by Christo and Jeanne-Claude took place here in Colorado in 1972. "Valley Curtain," an orange fabric curtain 1,250 feet high and 365 feet across, was erected across Rifle Gap, near Grand Junction. Preparations for this project took 28 months, and the "Valley Curtain" remained over the gap for a mere 28 hours before it was removed prematurely because of damage caused by unusually harsh winds.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude have another Colorado project under way, "Over the River," which involves suspending fabric panels on steel cables high above the water of the Arkansas River near Pueblo. The fabric ceiling will follow the configuration of the river and be in place for public viewing from the existing road and footpaths for two weeks. In 2002, an environmental impact report was prepared, at the artists' expense, and apparently some parties in Colorado are not too keen on thousands of people descending upon the Arkansas River during a two-week period. As with many of their works in progress, the fate of the project is uncertain.

Having been one of the fortunate thousands to witness their last work on U.S. soil, the incredible "Umbrellas" project along California's Interstate 5 in 1991, my impulse was to drop everything and get to "The Gates." Though I didn't make it to this art mecca, I was able to experience the piece vicariously through the sensibilities of Durango artists Jeff and Susan Wise, via a cell phone call early one morning. From the elevated rise looking south, they could see the park's topography defined by the gates, banners waving in the breeze through the leafless trees. Jeff referred to this as a "tangerine regatta." Looking out, he described "amazing orange sinuous paths that create a unifying effect" throughout the park. "We really like the sound. It is wonderful hearing the curtains flapping while seeing the undulations of the fabric binding the whole park together."

As with most public art projects, some controversy surrounds it, not the least being its $20 million cost, paid for entirely by the artists. Other criticism, based on abundant misinformation, voiced that the park would be damaged and defaced by the artwork's installation, which has not been the case. "It amazes me that people have these ideas," Jeff offered. "It'll be interesting to see if anyone, after experiencing this, still says it was a waste. I can't imagine there will be people who weren't moved by it. I find it very soothing to see."

a7,500 saffron-orange banners cover Central Park./Courtesy Photo

As with most public art projects, some controversy surrounds it, not the least being its $20 million cost, paid for entirely by the artists. Other criticism, based on abundant misinformation, voiced that the park would be damaged and defaced by the artwork's installation, which has not been the case. "It amazes me that people have these ideas," Jeff offered. "It'll be interesting to see if anyone, after experiencing this, still says it was a waste. I can't imagine there will be people who weren't moved by it. I find it very soothing to see."

It was while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art last year that the Wises had the fortune of meeting Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who were at the Met promoting "The Gates." Finding out that the project would open during Susan's birthday, they decided not to miss the installation and are "ecstatic" to be partaking in it. As Jeff handed the phone to Susan, he teased her saying that she was the 7,501st gate, because she was wearing a saffron-orange scarf in tribute to the project. Susan responded, "Everybody winks at you when you have a coordinating color on people are being very friendly in that way. New York really needed this everyone in the park is happy. It feels magical and enchanting." More than once as we spoke, our phone conversation was nearly drowned out by excited young voices, as Jeff and Susan were surrounded by hundreds of school kids walking and running through the gates. "There is this uplifting feeling created by walking around, and I'm being transformed by it," Susan confesses. "It is extremely wonderful. I wasn't expecting it to be so powerful."

Kate Clark, another Durangoan who made the trek to "The Gates," was also profoundly moved by her experience. Knowing that she was headed to NYC, she contacted the Central Park Conservancy to see if she could volunteer and was assigned a job as a "people counter." With a clicker in her pocket and stationed at a park entrance for two hours, Kate said "it forced me on this very very exciting day, to stay in one place and just watch people." In the beginning of the unfurling process, "applause would break out in little pods of people who had gathered around to see the fabric unfurled." As she walked along the path she "came across clumps of people, dogs and workers, all clapping and whooping I was in tears, it was such a pure experience."

Inherent in good art is the power to move us emotionally and bring us together to feel our shared humanity. "The Gates" shows us that art created with a communal intention and offered generously by its makers, can feed our collective soul. Not only profound and emotionally moving for the humans present, Jeff noticed, "that with 15,000 more posts in the park, the dogs are enjoying it too."

Thank you to Kate Clark's NYC traveling companion, John Wilson, for providing the photographs. For more images and information about "The Gates" and other projects, visit www.christojeanneclaude.net .