The Gates in Central Park

Most people think Central Park in the winter is stony grey, cold, and brittle. Where's Waldo-like, people dot the park in whatever keeps them warm. An entire suit made of red costume fuzz. Leather from head to toe. A purple ski suit. A random incognito celebrity...was that Gwyneth? Or occassionally, an old woman in a fur coat will drift by with a vacant look. Lost, maybe. Or just taking a break from her CPW mansion.

At this point, most people in NYC are tired of hearing about The Gates. Even though I'm one of them, I think it's necessary to react.

Saffron. Orange. Whatever color comes to mind, The Gates fill the park in weaving lines like dominoes. Except with hundreds of steel at the base of each Gate, these are not falling. Sure, one Gate, two Gates, even three is not all that impressive. I thought the material would be more like First Aid Gauze, than thick taffetta. I thought the sun would have a chance to shine through. But, what I thought, and what I saw were to my happy surprise different.

The saffron flags, as I thought they looked like blowing in the wind, didn't just border the park. They weaved in and out and lead paths across many points of the park. People walked through them like models or friends in a wedding. Waiting to be discovered maybe. Or just experiencing NYC in a new way.

We walked through and filmed this fabric blowing as we walked through...ahead of us, then above, then behind. The sun reflected saffron everywhere, all part of the show.

The question that came to mind was this:
It's beautiful...so many Gates through such a huge park. You were reminded just how big CP was ...how is it still this big, untouched and pure? But, was this exhibit of color worth the 25 million dollars it cost Christo?

I guess when you are an artist who thinks grand, than grand is what you will make.

And money, being the mundane color of green, could never touch the vision of saffron.

See photos:
http://photos4.flickr.com/6079010_655d826357.jpg


--Art Rant