© John H. Beaumont 2011 - 2020
Photo Tours
The
installation
in
Central
Park
was
completed
with
the
blooming
of
the
7,503
fabric
panels
on
February
12,
2005.
The
7,503
gates
were
16
feet
(4.87
meters)
tall
and
varied
in
width
from
5
feet
6
inches
to
18
feet
(1.68
to
5.48
meters)
according
to
the
25
different
widths
of
walkways,
on
23
miles
(37
kilometers)
of
walkways
in
Central
Park.
Free-hanging
saffron
colored
fabric
panels,
suspended
from
the
horizontal
top
part
of
the
gates,
came
down
to
approximately
7
feet
(2.13
meters)
above
the
ground.
The
gates
were
spaced
at
12
feet
(3.65
meter)
intervals,
except
where
low
branches
extended
above
the
walkways.
The
gates
and
the
fabric
panels
could
be
seen
from
far
away
through
the
leafless
branches
of
the
trees.
The
work
of
art
remained
for
16
days,
then
the
gates
were
removed
and
the materials recycled.
The
5
inch
(12.7
cm)
square
vertical
and
horizontal
poles
were
extruded
in
60
miles
(96.5
km)
of
saffron
colored
vinyl.
The
vertical
poles
were
secured
by
15,006
narrow
steel
base
footings,
613
to
837
pounds
(278
to
380
kilograms)
each,
positioned
on
the
paved
surfaces.
No
holes
were
made
in
the
ground.
The
gates'
components
were
fabricated,
off-site,
by
seven
manufacturers
located
on
the
East
Coast
of
the
USA.
The
weaving
and
sewing
of
the
fabric
panels
was done in Germany.
In
teams
of
eight,
600
workers
wearing
The
Gates
uniforms,
were
responsible
for
installing
100
gates
per
team.
The
monitoring
and
removal
teams
included
an
additional
300
uniformed
workers.
The
monitors
assisted
the
public
and
gave
information.
All
workers
were
financially
compensated
and
received
breakfast
and
one
hot
meal
a
day.
Professional security worked in the park
after dark.
The
Gates
was
entirely
financed
by
Christo
and
Jeanne-Claude,
as
they
have
done
for
all
their
previous
projects.
The
artists
do
not
accept
sponsorship or donations.
The
grid
pattern
of
the
city
blocks
surrounding
Central
Park
was
reflected
in
the
rectangular
structure
of
the
commanding
saffron
colored
poles
while
the
serpentine
design
of
the
walkways
and
the
organic
forms
of
the
bare
branches
of
the
trees
were
mirrored
in
the
continuously
changing
rounded
and
sensual
movements
of
the
free-flowing
fabric
panels in the wind.
The
people
of
New
York
continued
to
use
the
park
as
usual.
For
those
who
walked
through
The
Gates,
the
saffron
colored
fabric
was
a
golden
ceiling
creating
warm
shadows.
When
seen
from
the
buildings
surrounding
Central
Park,
The
Gates
seemed
like
a
golden
river
appearing
and
disappearing
through
the
bare
branches
of
the
trees
and
highlighting the shape of the meandering footpaths.