Cristo and Jeanne-Claude’s ‘The Gates’ Reborn 20 Years Later
I visited The Gates in New York City’s Central Park two decades ago, in February 2005. Christo and Jeanne-Claude draped Central Park in a magnificent public art installation that showcased the park’s beauty.
The Gates in Central Park in 2005
The public art installation included 7,503 gates with striking orange fabric that spanned 23 miles of paths throughout the park, attracting over four million visitors.
The artists initially proposed the project in 1979, but it wasn’t approved until 2005 by then newly-elected Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. The massive gates were 16 feet high, high enough to walk under as they flapped in the breeze. It was on display for 16 wintery days.
The artists never explained the precise meaning of the project or what The Gates signified to them, but the sight sparked interest and opinions among New Yorkers and other visitors. The dialogue often centered around the relationship between humans and the environment, and the value of public art in bringing people together.
Both artists have since passed away (Christo in 2020 and Jeanne-Claude in 2009), and much has changed in the tech world, but Central Park remains the heart and backyard of New York City.
Return of The Gates in AR in 2025
In 2025, Bloomberg Philanthropies supported the creation of an augmented reality (AR) version of this memorable project.
By downloading the free app Bloomberg Connects on a smartphone (available on Android and iOS devices), visitors can walk through Central Park on a guided tour describing the artists’ lives and works. The 50-minute tour includes 12 different stops organized chronologically.
The augmented reality experience takes place between East 72nd Street and Cherry Hill and will only be available in New York City between February 12th and March 23rd, 2025.
“The computer knows where the people are in space relative to the virtual gates, and it creates a silhouette around them, so it looks realistic,” explained Nicholas Rubin to Spectrum News NY 1. His firm created the AR experience with its partner, Superbright Studios.
Concurrently, an immersive exhibition, ‘Christo and Jean-Claude: The Gates and Unrealized Projects for New York City,” will be on display at The Shed at Hudson Yards. The exhibit includes drawings, models, and animated models of The Gates.
These exhibits bring The Gates alive again for a new generation to experience virtually.
Note: Discovering the Bloomberg Connects app was a joy because it offers curated content and guides to 750 museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens and cultural spaces that can be explored during a visit to these places or at home by anyone around the world with a smartphone.
Read more about the project on the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation website.
