The Gates is a public art project that is placing 7500 gates with some kind of yellow cloth on them throughout New York City's Central Park. I am all for art for art's sake, and I think this project probably will look very cool. And it is set to be complete Feb. 12, which is only a few days away.
Since Philly is within spitting distance of NYC, I see no reason why I wouldn't be able to check this out. Of course I should have something else to do in NYC other than the Gates to make a trip out there.
Here are some details:
On January 22, 2003 Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, announced that the city has given permission to New York artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude to realize their temporary work of art:The Gates, Central Park, New York, 1979-2005.The 7500 Gates, 16 feet (4.87 meters) high with a width varying from 5' 6" to 18 feet (1,67 m to 5,48 meters) will follow the edges of the walkways and will be perpendicular to the selected 23 miles of footpaths in Central Park. Free hanging saffron colored fabric panels suspended from the horizontal top part of the gates will come down to approximately 7 feet ( 2,13 meters) above the ground. The gates will be spaced at 12 foot (3,65 meter) intervals, except where low branches extend above the walkways allowing the synthetic woven panels to wave horizontally towards the next gate and be seen from far away through the leafless branches of the trees. The temporary work of art The Gates is scheduled for February 2005, to remain for 16 days, then the 7,500 Gates shall be removed and the materials will be recycled.
