Yesterday, Pam and I took the Fung Wah bus from Boston to New York to take a look at The Gates, Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s installation of 7,500 fabric-festooned archways along the pathways of Central Park. We had a great time, even with the 4 hour ride there and back (although the price was right; $15 each way!). Have a look at all the photos we took at Flickr.
I was struck by how such a simple thing — fabric and steel archways — changes the experience of the place. It was no longer a simple walk in the park. Suddenly, it’s as if the whole area were turned into an ant farm, with tunnels going each and every direction, converging, and encircling. Add to that, the color, which was like an orange shout on the gray February landscape. I wish that I could have sped through them on some sort of scooter or bicycle, passing through the pathways at top speed, experiencing the ever-arriving, ever-leaving at 30 or 40 mph. Still, even at a stroll’s pace, I enjoyed the trip and the installation. A pity that it will only be around for such a short time. But then, after it’s gone, the ghost of those gates will probably linger a little while, like the smell of saffron after the meal is over and the plates are put into the dishwasher.
written while listening to Brahms — String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op.111 (arranged for piano, 4 hands)- i. Allegro ma non troppo from the album “Brahms — Four Hand Piano Music, Vol. 12” by Matthies, Kohn, Piano