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February 21, 2005
The Gates, Part III
There's simply no way describe it or capture it on film. The Gates in the snow are beautiful. My usual horrible mood was completely turned around by walking into the park at 72nd street. I walked around the sheep's meadow, sticking to "gated" paths and I had to keep stopping and standing to the side so I could stare at the white expanse rimmed by bright orange flags flapping away at even intervals. It feels like the park was dressed up for a holiday, like it's Christmas and everyone stops to stare at a decorated tree or display. I wanted to take pictures of everything but it's lucky that my camera batteries ran out. It's so much better to just walk through it and not think about framing it or recording it. None of the pictures do it any justice.
You're surrounded by orange -- it's in every view and it's above you. The movement of the fabric in the wind and the contrast of the color makes you feel like you're at a major celebration. The magnitude of it is mind boggling. The curved paths, viewed from a distance, provide the best views because you see different shades of orange based on how many layers of fabric separate you from the light behind. Everyone reaches up and touches the hem -- you want to play with it -- it's like a new toy that you haven't gotten tired of yet. I think the snow helps by throwing The Gates into relief and concealing the bases a little. I'm skeptical still, but I appreciate the optimism and simple beauty of it, which is maybe the point.
Posted by csageday at February 21, 2005 11:16 PM