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Magazine ArticlesThe Gates: A Turning Point for Public Art
For those of you who missed viewing in-person the recent installation of The Gates, Central Park, New York, 1979-2005 (a.k.a., The Gates), you may have missed the most significant display of accessible public art in this nation’s history. And, while the viewing was free, getting to the point of viewing was lengthy and costly for those who made the work possible. However, both the evolution of the display and how the installation was paid for should be of significant note and timely interest to local elected officials throughout the country.
As Mayor Bloomberg, an outspoken supporter of the project so eloquently stated, “That’s not bad for New York City.” Having observed how things happen in communities over the last several decades, the Mayor was right in noting that it takes time to do something like a big art installation in a major city like New York. And, since it is the nation’s biggest stage, New Yorkers rightly expect things to be done well and done with the input and blessings of the people. So, with community meetings and community input and community reviews and project revisions and project improvements over time, The Gates is much more refined and focused than the installation would otherwise likely have been conceived, erected, and received without the public’s input.
A second very interesting thing about The Gates is that the artists financed the cost of the installation out of their own pockets. And, they have gone to great lengths to make sure and let it be known that they are not personally profiting directly from the work of art. This scenario gives a whole new meaning to the term “public art.” The Gates is public art financed like private art, but given freely to the public. The impact of The Gates will likely be to re-define how the public sector in this nation views public art and how the private sector moves to elevate the importance of art and the arts in our public lives. From the Cows in Chicago to the baseballs in Atlanta to the donkeys and elephants in the District of Columbia to now The Gates in New York City, art is assuming a whole new role in our community lives and the lives of our communities. It’s about time. About the Author Doyle G. Hyett is the co-founder of Hyett Palma, Inc. Since being formed in 1985, the firm’s work has restored confidence and stimulated private investment in hundreds of Downtowns throughout all 50 states. In addition, HyettPalma provides all technical assistance for the America Downtown® program (offered by the National League of Cities), the Indiana Downtown® program (offered by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns), the Blueprint for Pennsylvania’s Downtowns program (offered by the Pennsylvania Association of Cities and Towns). In addition, HyettPalma is completing enhancement strategies for 22 communities in Michigan through the Blueprints for Michigan Downtowns program, which is a collaborative of the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Michigan State Housing Development Authority. For more information about the firm, visit www.hyettpalma.com.
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© HyettPalma 2008
The
project was 26 years in the making. Twenty-six years. Thirteen terms in
Congress. Over three U.S. Senate terms. Moving into six New York City
Mayoral terms. The exhaustive progression of approval was not because
of the price-tag (said to be perhaps as much as $30,000,000), but because
it sometimes takes that long to get something like The Gates out-of-the-ground
in the public arena. 
Christo
and Jeanne-Claude, the artists responsible for the installation, have
stuck with their original vision and, at the same time, have unquestionably
gained from the public’s input, interest, patience, and, now, warm
acceptance of their work. And, the whole process has been well documented
for all to enjoy and learn from in books authored by the world-famous
husband-wife artistic team.