bugswife - one t, two r's ...Thanks.

I'm glad you are one with an educated opinion. :)

Will look for you all if we end up in the park on Sunday! If not, I'll be there next weekend.

that'd be two c's. I guess if I can't spell my own name, I can't expect others to either. :">

Back in September I booked a park-view room at the Essex for the sole purpose of viewing The Gates. Can't wait to be there next weekend. I'm an avid photographer and will definitely be posting my pics when I return.

Smoot60, I have been following the progress not only on Christo's website, but on a blog that has mixed opinions along with photos. If you're interested here it is:
http://nycgates.blogspot.com/

Well, I have never had this many replys to one of my posts. Glad to hear so many opinions. As for all of you who live in NYC, you are some of the luckiest people around. I live in a small town in Tennessee, which I adore, but I would love to trade places and live in NYC if only a couple of months. I know it is terribly expensive and crowded but all in all it is a wonder. Please enjoy everything you have. From the new "Spelling Bee" Off Broadway show to The Gates, you should never be bored and even in February you have something to do! Rejoice and be thankful that you live in one of the greatest cities on this planet.

I went to a movie on 34th St and took the #10 bus uptown and started noticing the "gates" at 66th St near Tavern On The Green.

The gates are tall, rectangular collums of metal, in lots of different colours and I could litterally see HUNDREDS of them from the window of the bus as it went uptown. The gates are at every entrance to the park covering the paths leading into the park. I didn't see anything flapping, just litterally TONS of large metal door frames.

$20Million could have paid for a couple of new schools, teachers salaries, housed many homeless, cleaned up some neighborhoods, I think the money could have been put to so many better uses.

$20Million..........

wantsomesun, the reason you saw nothing "flapping" is because the complete sculpture will not be undraped until the morning. And, I think your eyes are playing tricks on you. All of the metal poles are the same color.

PS to smooth60: First, thanks for starting what has been a great thread. Second, thanks for reminding us how lucky we are to be here! You'll get a report on Sunday or Monday.

Be careful! Every time I think of Christo I think of the poor man who was killed by one of his "Umbrella" installations here in California when it blew over in the wind and crushed the art admirer.

Art can kill people - let's be careful out there.

I was in Central Park this morning at about 9:15AM. The unfurling began at about 8:30. It will take most of the day to unfurl all 7,300 gates.

I was surpised by the number of spectators at that early hour and by the number of gates. It was some scene, entering at 59th and 5th. All the pedestrian pathways there are lined with gates. If you know the park, you know that there is a scenic duckpond at that corner. The gates follow the rolling path around the pond, even passing over the bridge. Without leaves on the trees, you can see the gates everywhere, up close and across the park screened by the nude trees.

Bit by bit the gates are unfurled. Groups of people gather to watch different teams do the unfurling. One worker with a long hook reaches up and catches a loop, which pulls a strip across and releases the velcro on the protective sleeve, like opening a FedEx envelope. The sleeve falls away, then the fabric begins to fall, propelled by a long cardboard tube that is wrapped inside. Onlookers must keep back--this tube is about 4 inches in diameter and 8 to 11 feet long. Teams work together to unzip and retrieve sleeves and tubes. They have large handcarts, also painted orange, to transport the tubes.

It was a very festive atmosphere, most people taking photographs, trading cameras to photograph one another, watching unfurling in different locations and cheering. Many families were out with their kids. I heard some informing their teens "You will remember this."

The souvenir stands were doing a brisk business. I bought a magnet--$7--pricey, but it's a special event and all souvenir proceeds go to parks and nature organizations in New York.

I wanted to experience the unfurling, but plan to go back to explore the park more a few times during the installation. I enjoyed walking under the gates, the sun shining through the saffron cloth. The cloth makes nice forms in the breeze, though I can see that the pleats will keep the movements from being too wild in a strong wind.

I love NY.

Thanks for the report ellenem.

No one has posted a website that describes the exhibit, so here's the site provided by the artists:

http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/tg.html

Nice report ellenem! Saw a little on CNN this morning - sure wish I could have been there in person. I'm glad it seems to be getting a good reception.

"Art can kill people - let's be careful out there."

So true. Not to mention that wicked paper cut I got in origami class.

Funny Patrick!
:))
R5

I would urge everyone to read the "appreciation" written by critic Michael Kimmelman on page 1 in today's NY Times. It's entitled, "In Saffron Ribbon, A Billowy Gift to the City." (Sorry, I'm not adept at passing along these urls. Hopefully, another reader will.)
The article made me ever more eager to see it (in about an hour or so).

From the aerial photos that are in the NY Times and other papers this AM, I'd say this art does not have the aerial presence that Cristo's Islands did in Biscayne Bay in 1983. It feels as if there is no "edge" to this. Maybe the idea of huge public art is no longer edgy, rendering Cristo passé.

On the other hand, this might be more of an up-close experience. The verdict is out on that one until we hear from more who view this up-close.

Aside from the artistic aspect of "The Gates" why is there such tourist bashing? This goes on everywhere;the Alaskans hate cruise lines for example. In my state(MA) I heard a proprietor haranguing against tourists in the quaint town of Rockport-it's your bread and butter for crissakes!

wantsomesun,
Christo paid for it himself and NY will benefit from the tourism and the profits from memorabilia. I wouldnt spend my money that way but this unlike the 600 million dollar stadium is a win for NYC. I hope to see it later today.

I am in New York right now and am going to see the exhibit today with some family that lives here. I can see a bit from my hotel window (albeit a sliver between some buildings) and am looking forward to going to see it.

I just got back from Central Park. I was out there at 7:30 this morning when the park was still basically empty except for some hardcore photographers. It was probably a little too early as the sun was still behind the buildings. Around 8:30 I started to get some great photos.

It was pretty amazing - both the scale of this project and the way it looked close up, early in the morning with long shadows and with the bright orange against the deep blue cloudless sky.

Wish I had my own website where I could post some photos...

I will be heading there next weekend.
Where is the best place to enter the park to enjoy this?