Today In History: "The Gates" Opens in Central Park

Our works are temporary in order to endow the works of art with a feeling of urgency to be seen, and the love and tenderness brought by the fact that they will not last. Those feelings are usually reserved for other temporary things such as childhood and our own life. These are valued because we know that they will not last. We want to offer this feeling of love and tenderness to our works, as an added value (dimension) and as an additional aesthetic quality.  -- Christo and Jeanne-Claude

from Remembering Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Artists Behind The Gates in Central Park and More, untapped new york.

A twenty million dollar project that began in 1970, "The Gates" was a large-scale public artwork by Bulgarian artist Christo Yavacheff and French artist Jeanne-Claude.  It consisted of 7,503 saffron-colored, free-hanging vinyl "gates" that were 16 feet tall and erected along a 23 mile path in Central Park. With its official opening on February 12th, 2005, the stunning artwork could be seen closeup along the pedestrian walkways, or from afar through the leafless trees, for a total period of sixteen days. Christo and Jeanne-Claude financed the entire project without sponsorship or donations, and at its conclusion recycled the materials, whose fabric panels were made in Germany and steel components made by seven different manufacturers on the East Coast of the United States. 

Known for their "Wrapping of the Reichstag" in Germany; the surrounding of the Biscayne Bay islands in Florida; the umbrella project in Japan and California; and other large scale, site-specific art projects,  internationally renowned Christo and Jeanne-Claude donated a set of 26 signed posters to Teachers College 26 and the TC Student Chapter of the National Art Education Association in 2000.  These posters, which include a drawing of "The Gates" are on permanent display on the first floor of Grace Dodge Hall.

While "The Gates" was met with mixed reactions in New York City, particularly among those who preferred the natural landscape of Central Park or who were concerned about the safety of the installation, it is interesting to note the reflections of Graeme Sullivan, former Associate Professor of Art Education at Teachers College,  and Lisa Hochtritt, former Doctoral Student in Art Education and Arts Education Coordinator at the Heritage School, who called attention to the "art of gentle disturbance" or a  "practice that disrupts assumptions about permanence, ownership and categorization."

The following articles are drawn from Proquest Historical Newspapers, which informs and inspires classroom teaching and learning.

• Russell, J.  R. (1980, Oct 06). Artist Planning to Transform Central Park for Two Weeks: Artistic Transformation of Central Park Planned 'No Great Opposition'. New York Times (1923-) 
• Vogel, C. V. (1999, Jan 07). Stubbornly Wrapped Notion: Christo, Rebuffed, Clings to His Central Park Dream. New York Times (1923-) 
• Chace, R. (2003, Feb 02). Portals to the 19th Century: The 20 Subtle Gates of Central Park Represent a Final Battle Fought by Olmsted and Vaux Engineers' Gate. New York Times (1923-) 
• Vogel, C. (2004, Nov 23). Christo 'Gates' Arriving in Central Park Next Week. New York Times (1923-) 
• Segal, D. (2005, Feb 10). Curtain Call: With 'The Gates,' Christo and Jeanne-Claude Can Finally Call Central Park a Wrap. The Washington Post (1974-) 
• Curiel, C. (2005, Feb 12). Editorial Notebook: At Last, the Gates Wave in Central Park A Quarter of a Century, $20 Million and a Flash of Joy in the City's Heart. New York Times (1923-) 
• Medina, J. (2005, Feb 14). City: For Vendors in Central Park, Saffron Exhibit Proves Green. New York Times (1923-) 
• Robert, T. C. (2005, Feb 18). Viewfinder: The Central Park Landscape--Bracketed by Christo and Jeanne-Claude's 'Gates,' Takes on Vibrant Color and Verve. The Christian Science Monitor (1908-) 
• Gill, J. (2005, Feb 20). Central Park: Apricot Fabric Plus Gray Panes Turns Squeegees Into Bits of Gold. New York Times (1923-) 
• Hale, M. (2008, Feb 26). The Tortuous Path That Led to Those Central Park Gates. New York Times (1923-)

Tips:

• Christo, and Jeanne-Claude. The Gates : Project for Central Park, New York City : A Work in Progress. Place of publication not identified: Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 2004. Stacks ; N7193.C5 A6 2004
• Fineberg, Jonathan David., and Wolfgang. Völz. On the Way to the Gates : Central Park, New York City : Christo and Jeann-Claude. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004. Oversize ; N7193.C5 A64 2004
• Greenberg, Jan et al. Christo and Jeanne-Claude : Through the Gates and Beyond. First edition. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2008. Curriculum ; N7193.C5 G74 2008

Images:

• Poster Drawing of "The Gates", Grace Dodge Hall, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Hand-Signed Posters Donated to  Teachers College and the TC Student Chapter of the National Art Education Association, Grace Dodge Hall, Teachers College, Columbia University
• Poster Image:  "The Gates", a Site-Specific Work of Art by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Central Park, New York. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Courtesy Library of Congress

Need to keep current, look to the past, teach a topic? The Everett Cafe features daily postings of news from around the world, and also promotes awareness of historical events from an educational context. Be sure to check additional Cafe News postings on the library blog.