The Gates (2005)

A documentary on New York City's biggest public art project ever, an installation called "The Gates," by Christo and Jeanne Claude.

Directors:

Antonio Ferrera, Albert Maysles

Stars:

Michael Bloomberg, Christo, Rudolph W. Giuliani

Cast

Credited cast:
Michael Bloomberg	...	Himself
Christo	...	Himself
Rudolph W. Giuliani	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jeanne-Claude	...	Herself
Rasha Refaie

Storyline

In February, 2005, artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude installed 7,500 arches (gates), curtained with orange cloth that waved and billowed and decked miles of walkways in Central Park. The gates stood for 16 days, the first unfurled by Mayor Bloomberg, who championed the project, giving it the okay after the artists' 25-year quest to gain approval. Archival footage shows pro-and-con debates and various mayors and commissions turning down the project. By the end, the gates installed, the camera travels a winter landscape, orange shining through trees and reflected in ponds. Passers-by, quintessential New Yorkers, express pleasure. Art dwarfs the nay-sayers.

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Plot Keywords:

gates | art | artist | mayor | orange | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Maysles Productions

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2005 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maysles Films

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Maltin on Movies: Due Date (2010)

User Reviews

Central Park Orange

What's this all about? Is it art? Is it desecrating the park? Well there's a lot of orange anyway. It's modern and eclectic. It's worth watching just to see the absurd level of opposition it generates – and everybody searches for reasons to oppose it – it's New York after all. Kudos to Mayor Bloomberg who said "Let's Do It". After all it's only for a few weeks in February and it gave colour to the park. As one women said - "most people gaze at pictures in a gallery for less than a minute before moving on – but with this pervasive display – if you are in the Park – you are in it". It's everywhere. It's public – it can be "enjoyed" or "detested" by all and sundry.

I was a little confused at the beginning because there is a short segment where Christo and Jeanne-Claude proposed their exhibition in the early 80's and it was rejected by numerous groups for innumerable reasons. Then we move to the 21st century.

There are beautiful images of Central Park through-out (but perhaps a little too much orange flapping in the breeze).