The Gates
 

Has anybody else seen "The Gates" in New York?

The Mrs and I had a look yesterday afternoon. Totally bonkers, of course, but we rather liked the whole thing. What the artist is trying to say I have no idea but I do like the originality. Shame it's all up for only a couple of weeks after such a monumental effort. Apparently the city is coining it with all the extra people coming in specifically to see it, despite the cold. Yesterday the park was heaving - I read somewhere that seven times more people visited the park over the weekend than on the average summer day.

I put some photos here:

http://britishexpats.com/photopost/s...0&ppuser=13389

Re: The Gates
 

Maybe it looks different in real life but I think it looks hideous.

Re: The Gates
 

is .... "aren't the trendy set stupid, pretending to know what I'm "saying", jumping on the bandwagon, because it's what those in the "in crowd" do ... when what I'm really saying is "thanks for making me rich, suckers!""

shades of Tony Hancock in "The Artist"

Re: The Gates
 

So are we commenting on my photography "skills" here?
:p

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I'm inclined to agree were it not for the fact that the entire installation has been funded by the artist and provided free for the public.

Makes one wonder how much they must have been paid in the past to wrap their various islands and german public buildings. :scared:

Re: The Gates
 

Is that what you think about art in general, or just stuff you personally don't like?

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I like many different types of art ... particularly impressionist paintings ...

I just happen to think alot of the "modern art" is just a piss-take ... and the "trendy set" just say they like it because they think they should ... just so much snobbery ...

sheep in formaldehyde and piles of coal or bricks come to mind ..

Re: The Gates
 

Some people thought impressionist paintings were a piss-take when they first appeared.

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No. Honest. :)

It reminds me of that bit of art in Kingston on Thames (my old stomping ground) a pile of red phone boxes leaning to one side. Total bollocks and cost a fortune.

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so maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and realise sheep in formaldehyde and rows of metal arches with bright orange curtains hanging on them are really a skilful representation of the world around me ...

or not ...

Re: The Gates
 

People with fairly narrow views about what constitutes art often seem to get hung up on the sheep in formaldehyde stuff. By "representation of the world around me" do you mean that to you art has to form images that you recognise and are comfortable with?

Re: The Gates
 

look elfman ... I wasn't looking for a fight ... it seems you are ...

what you see as art, someone else sees as crap ... what I see as art, you may see as crap ... we are each entitled to our opinions ...

I like to see skill in anything ... in "the gates" the only skill I see is that of the guys who welded the arches together .. that I can admire ..

Re: The Gates
 

Oh please. Asking you questions about your interpretation of what constitutes "art" is looking for a fight? I thought you had a thicker skin than that. I just wanted to know why you might not consider The Gates to be art.

As for the skill of the welding, fair enough, but to me art is not just about physical skill with the hands - it's also about the vision as well, the ability to think of an original concept and then the drive to see it through to fruition.

Re: The Gates
 

Art is in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone will appreciate the same piece.

I for one do not like "The Gates". The color is horrible and it looks completely out of place. But to another person, that would be the very reason why it's art.

Re: The Gates
 

Stunning! And lovely to see so many people outside anjoying the park in it's new 'skin'. At the very least, what a stimulating piece.