The Gates

So many people have asked me whether or not I liked The Gates. Art is very personal and subjective and I have heard several different responses ranging from "A complete waste of time and money," to "A phenomenal example of genius." I suppose that my answer lies somewhere in the middle.

Previously, I had only seen The Gates from a distance as I circumnavigated Central Park by car or taxi. Yesterday - a sunny and somewhat windy day - I had the opportunity to walk through The Gates and it certainly does bring a different perspective. Art should make you feel something, and I could not help but enjoy the vibrancy and the way in which shadows played upon the saffron-colored fabric. The Gates actually made it possible to "see" a breeze as it billowed through the hanging swatches. Painted against the bleak grays of a hibernating landscape, Central Park came alive if only for two weeks. Perhaps more than The Gates themselves, I was particularly in awe of the engineering and coordination which made it possible. Christo could not wrap Central Park the way he did other buildings, so I suppose that taking a virtual highlighter to the winding paths was an innovative alternative.

Another positive response I had was The Gates' contribution to the city's financial status. Aside from the significant tourist dollars and revenue generated from souvenir sales, the economic boon to merchants and tradesmen usually dormant at this time of year (think hot dog vendors and window washers for apartments overlooking the park) was welcome. When the counting is finished, the city will have come out ahead. Of course it didn't hurt that the IOC visit to evaluate NYC as a contender for the 2012 Olympics coincided with The Gates and potentially drew some attention away from the fact that we do not - and may never - have an Olympic stadium venue.

The flip side to all of this is that art should also make you think. To that end The Gates was rather pedestrian. I truly love whimsy, but there is only so much that one can derive from a bunch of orange blankets hanging around the park. I can think of many ways that the millions of dollars expended on it could have been put to better uses, including feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, educating our children - you get the picture. Yes, art is essential to a civilized society and it is imperative to make it available to all. I'm just not sure that this was the best use of resources.

In the end, I suppose the way to look at it is that this was a present from Christo. When someone gives you a gift, you appreciate the thought, the expense, and the effort that was made to select an item that the giver thought would best suit the recipient. Thank you very much Christo. Your efforts mean so much to the people of the city of New York. Now where's the receipt?