~It's All Facetious~

LESSON IN ART APPRECIATION

Due to the nature of my work, I get to research many artists. A casually dropped name during a meeting would have me scrambling to get on Google(Pinterest is current favourite at the moment). I thought it would be a good idea to appreciate one of such artist's work once a week. Do you guys concur?

Imagine an entire island off the coast of Miami surrounded by bubblegum pink fabric; an imposing brilliantly orange curtain rising up like a dream from from a Colorado valley; the Reichstag wrapped up like a toy house under a giant’s Christmas tree...

These are not narratives from a fantasy or a science fiction book, but real life, towering installations created by the husband –wife artist duo of Chriso & Jeanne Claude.

Only having seen images of their work, I can imagine the visceral reaction they must evoke when seen in person. And what most fascinates me about their work is ephemerality of it all; the years of planning and hard work, the countless million of dollars, to create something which they know is not going to last long. For example, the valley curtain I mentioned above was up only for 28 hours. In Christo’s words, “..... I think it takes much greater courage to create things to be gone than to create things that will remain."
Though they have had their fair share of controversy and criticism; from the environmental impact of their installations to freak accidents, I think it’s essential they carry on, so others can get to imagine, and see, the world in a different way, even though it might be for just 28 hours.