Another friend of mine, Seth Apter, has written his observations about The Gates to share with us here. Seth is an artist, author, designer, and workshop instructor. His website is SethApter.com, and you can find his blog at TheAlteredPage.blogspot.com, and his stencils HERE.
Hard to believe that 10 years have past since this event took place in NYC. It truly seems like just yesterday. I recall the buzz that spread throughout the city when this installation was announced. There was a call put out for volunteers to assist in the set-up. I decided not to participate given that it was in the middle of winter. That is a decision I regret now that time has passed.
As it got closer to the opening, a number of my friends remained unimpressed by the thought of this exhibit and, in some ways, the idea of "gates" with flags placed through the walkways of the park really doesn't sound all that exciting. The thing is, it truly was. At the time I described it as a living museum. You could not separate the gates from the awed looks on the faces of the people passing through and taking pictures. They all became a part of the exhibit.
After walking through the gates, soaking in the experience, I headed to a high floor of a building adjacent to the Park. Looking at it from above was a completely different experience. It was quite beautiful from this viewpoint but what also became clear was the sheer magnitude of the installation. An event of this scope is not easy to pull off in NYC and it spoke to the dedication and persistence that Christo had brought to making his vision a reality. Definitely a take-away message from that day.
Those of us who live in NYC come to know the park as a very special place. It is hard to imagine Manhattan without it. It brings a much needed respite to those of us surrounded by 8 million people at all times. It represents nature, peace and beauty. Christo's Gates somehow managed to also bring a bit of magic to this special setting.
Thanks Seth!
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