I received an e-mail regarding the Gates display and I wanted to share it with you-
Someone asked what they looked like and what they were about Twenty five years ago the artists approached the mayor of New York to create an art experience...I think that is the best way to describe it. They wanted to erect large (16 feet tall!) saffron (orange, really) "wickets" with sheets of matching fabric hanging from them throughout the miles of walking paths of Central Park. Just a guess...but you might be thinking ALL involved are NUTS, but keep on reading... The fathers said "No" for two main reasons: 1) New Yorkers treat Central Park as though holy. The park is completely natural. There are no great formal gardens of planted flowers, etc. It looks and feels as if one is out in nature...a relief for people bound by concrete. Anything "artificial" is considered sacrilege and could, therefore, become a reason not to be re-elected; 2) The original design based on the technology of the time required the upright posts to be drilled into holes in the ground to be stabilized...again, desecration...plus most of New York is bedrock so it most likely would have been very difficult and might have caused damage. Fast forward to 3 years ago...Michael Bloomberg, the self- made billionaire, is elected mayor. Once again Christo and the tomato-red coiffed Jean-Claude approach the new admini- stration as they have after each election. Expecting the usual fight they were anticipating the usual long, drawn out, hard time of it. Instead Mayor Bloomberg said "Yes" without any debate. Just come on and do it. They were stunned...almost like a sitcom where the actor keeps on convincing after he's heard "Yes." Christo and Jean-Claude were elated and started right away. Best of all...it cost The City nothing...zero...zip... nada...no $$$...including all the costs of security, "Gate" tenders, insurance, guides, and maintenance. $23 MILLION! NO private or corporate donations were accepted. The artists completely funded it themselves, to be enjoyed by all for free for 16 days. Then it would be dismantled...gone forever; living only in memory and photo. All the materials will be recycled! On February 12, the 7,523 saffron gates (covering 23 miles using 1 million square yards of fabric) were opened in 4 hours! Hundreds of thousands of people have walked The Gates bringing in about $80 million to The City. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rkgkPB/UOnJAA/Zx0JAA/wnIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Have you told a friend today? http://bookcrossing.com/tellafriend Archives and email list settings: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BookCrossing/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
