| The greatest city on earth has another reason to brag | | | | the art and more the social aspect, it's an attraction |
| with the unveiling of the long-awaited public art project | | | | and a spectacle," said Quillio. |
| The Gates by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. | | | | His wife Susan, however, disagreed, saying, "It's |
| Despite its popularity, some visitors feel the $21 million | | | | beautiful against all the gray rocks and bare trees." |
| art installation is not art at all. Whether a work of art or | | | | No matter what people thought, everyone visiting the |
| spectacle, the orange flags strung like a ribbon | | | | park seemed to discuss the artistic merits of the |
| throughout Central Park are sparking conversation and | | | | project, even talking to strangers in a city of people |
| drawing in visitors by the subway load. | | | | who rarely make eye contact. |
| According to the Central Park Conservancy, which | | | | The communal experience, according to Manhattan |
| sells official Gates merchandise at the Park's entrance | | | | commuter Beth Fichtel, is better than the 7,500 steel |
| on 59th Street, 10 to 20 million people are expected to | | | | structures wrapped throughout the park. "The energy |
| visit the park during the 16 days that The Gates are on | | | | in the air is contagious and it's cool to be in something |
| display. | | | | as enormous as Central Park and be surrounded by |
| "February is the slowest month for tourism in the city | | | | tons of people all talking about the same thing." |
| and the exhibit has already brought an unexpected | | | | While he jogged underneath the colorful billowing fabric, |
| number to the park, which is usually dead in the winter," | | | | Manhattan resident Danny Schwartz asked, "I like it, but |
| said Central Park Conservancy staff member, Chris | | | | I don't think it can be defined as art, but who's to say |
| Trimbull, 25. "I think it's more popular than anyone had | | | | really?" |
| realized." | | | | Architectural student Amanda Herron, 22, reverently |
| Before The Gates opened, a mere 200,000 visitors | | | | believes that Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work is |
| were expected, however, the day after Mayor | | | | highly creative and refused to miss their recent |
| Michael Bloomberg unfurled the 1,089,882 square feet | | | | endeavor, so she flew in from Alabama just for the |
| of streaming saffron fabric along 23 miles of park | | | | event. |
| paths, attendance was already at 700,000 people. | | | | "Their art is inspiring, we study their installations in |
| Standing 16 feet high, The Gates are attracting the | | | | school and how they are able to change a space |
| young, elderly, tourists and students alike, who took | | | | dramatically, then leave and change what people |
| photographs, held hands, and observed the temporary | | | | originally thought of the space," said Herron. "It is so |
| display, despite temperatures falling below freezing. | | | | interesting, it comes and people soak it in, and then it's |
| New York's AM news station 1010 WINS recently | | | | gone." |
| conducted an online web poll asking if The Gates are | | | | Herron further suspects that even after The Gates |
| art or joke. Out of 1298 respondents, 65% said joke. | | | | are removed, people will still be discussing them. For |
| Lou Quillio is in agreement. With his wife and two | | | | now her theory is true, The Gates are a big topic of |
| daughters, he drove three hours from Saratoga, New | | | | conversation and debate at the office, in the news and |
| York to see the golden gates. "It's just a thing, it's less | | | | around the world. |