From February 12 to 27, 2005, Central Park exploded in a radiant

orange as Christo and Jeanne-Claude unveiled their art

installation, The Gates. The Gates was an exhibit of sorts that

aimed to artistically interpret the bleak winter and its

contrast with a vivid world.

What is The Gates

The Gates, or "The Gates, Central Park, New York, 1979 - 2005,"

is an artistic endeavor undertaken by the husband and wife

tandem of Christo and Jeanne Claude. For two weeks, 7,503 metal

'gates,' lined 37 kilometers of the Center Park. From each gate

hung an orange colored fabric.

Why Build such a Thing?

Before Central Park was built, the area where it now stands was

a swampland that held little beauty. The builders of the park

painstakingly built the park bit by bit - sending in for soil,

transporting boulders, and planting every tree in the vicinity.

When the project was completed, the only thing missing were the

gates.

For years architects tried designing prospective gates for the

park. Unfortunately, the original builders did not like the

plans submitted to them since they seemed to be too

sophisticated. So, since then, Central Park has never had proper

gates to close the park after hours.

In 1979, Christo and Jeanne Claude started dreaming of putting

up their own interpretation of what the gates at Central Park

might look like. Both were artists of the highest degree, and

both desired to create a unique work of art that would shock the

people to see it.

Their works create entire environments. It doesn't matter

whether they are rural or urban. The artworks they create on

this scale do not last a long time, but the effects of these

artworks certainly outlive the physical for of their art.

Those who have seen the art work of the duo report astonishment.

Their art is said to amplify, present natural beauty in a

different light: the wind blowing or the sun shining through

their art.

Construction

The gates were constructed from 5,390 tons of steel, 96

kilometers of vinyl tubing and almost 100,000 sq. m. of fabric.

The project was funded by the artists themselves. This was not

because they could not find sponsors, because indeed many

sponsors stepped forward.

The artists funded the art themselves because the believed that

if other people sponsored the Gates, those people would have

control over what direction the project took, and the couple did

not want to be shackled by the whims of moneyed sponsors.

To fund the project the couple sold much of their previous

artwork to fund the project. They even sold some of their

designs for the Gate for that same purpose.

Opening

The project was officially opened on February 12, 2005, with New

York Mayor Michael Bloomberg unfurling the first piece of

fabric. The rest of The Gates opened to the curiosity of large

crowds who struggled hard against each other just to take a peek

at the Gates.

By February 13, all of the flags for the gates were unfurled.

The project staff remained at the park, watching and repairing

the gates. One of the gates in particular, near the Shakespeare

Garden in front of the Delacorte Theatre, was repeatedly

vandalized and replaced.

When the exhibit closed on February 27, the gates and bases were

removed. No permanent damage was sustained by the park. However,

the impact of the art of the Gates may last for longer than most

expect.

About the author:

James Monahan is the owner and Senior Editor of GatesDepot.com and writes

expert articles about gates.