christo's gates and other things fleeting

360 shot of part of the gates

for the past week plus, much (of new york's) attention has been given to christo and jeanne claude's "the gates" in central park. an art installation of 7,500 gates, each 16 feet high, spread along the edges of some 23 miles of pathways. it has been the topic of talk shows' jokes (conan o 'brien calls them giant shower curtains, ha...) ,and much discussion (have you heard about "the gates" container that sold for $1200 on ebay?), and a lot of debate ($21M out of the couples' pockets, couldnt they have just spent it on something else "productive"?).

some people get it. some people don't. but somehow i believe the "getting it" is merely secondary--the gates are really there to be experienced. it's great for example to see all of a sudden new yorkers having a reason to be out in the park. it's great seeing the jaded new yorkers all of a sudden giddy. plus points of course go to those who, like children under a canopy, try to reach for those suspended saffron panels. plus points go too to those who'd brought out their cameras, posing by those gates, without any fear of blending in to those bloody tourists.

there is of course wisdom in the fact that the exhibit only lasts for 16 days. otherwise, there is no sense of urgency to witness and experience. no sense of mustness. and in the exhibit's ephemeral nature, im sure, lies a lesson to be learned. in this fast-paced city, one could easily get sucked in all the flow of changes--taking for granted the nuance of each experience. a certain numbness is felt, the mustness is lost.

it's amazing for example how in the span of a couple of weeks, i've seen a broadway musical (bklyn), entertained the possibility of moving to another agency (spurred by a call from the headhunter), been to delaware for a weekend, faced the daunting task of rebuilding the network of friends here (while saying goodbye to another one who's left the city to live in tokyo for "good"), seen "nobody knows", an intensely simple japanese film that's gotten critical acclaim, managed to finish malcolm gladwell's the tipping point etc, etc... and as i look back now, part of the past weeks' experiences seem a blur. have i fallen prey to that new york numbness?

on the way to see "the gates" for the first time, i was new york walking up on 6th avenue when i was suddenly stopped by a small scene on the corner of 50th street. a middle-aged man was slumped on the curbside by the fire hydrant, covering his mouth, blood dripping from it. a lady and some tourists were already tending to him. and everyone else was either just watching, choosing not to be involved, or just zipping by, obviously eager to see the gates. i stood there for a few minutes watching, entertaining the thought of helping out and at the same time entertaining the thought of just going about my business.

eventually, the new york numbness fizzled out. i grabbed a handful of napkin from the nearby gyro stand and gave it to the man to cover his bloodied mouth with. those already helping him said that he had been carrying a pot of flowers and had slipped and hit the concrete jaw first. the ambulance arrived moments later. taking the stranger with them. i had gone on to have my lunch and eventually to see the gates. the lady and the tourists too had gone on enjoying their saturday. in a new york minute, the scene was clear again. with the drops of blood on the concrete the only traces left of what had happened.

the gates are going to be taken down this weekend. i just hope i get to reach for those giant saffron shower curtains one last time before they do.

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PS. i have an extra "the gates" postcard which i'd love to share and mail out. email nyu_jason@yahoo.com your name, your birthday and mailing address. 13th person to email all the complete info gets the card as fast as snail mail allows. strangers are very much welcome. and don't worry i won't sell your info on ebay.