UMBRELLAS AND GATES
“As New York City prepares to be wowed by the environmental artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s massive art installation ‘The Gates’ in Central Park [beginning February 12], WNET and MoMA have chosen to give the public a taste of past projects by the artists by showing the feature documentary Umbrellas, directed by Henry Corra, Grahame Weinbren, and Albert Maysles. The film explores the concept and realization of the artists’ 26-million dollar project for Japan and California in 1991. Christo and Jeanne-Claude found it to be the most difficult of all their projects, as violent weather and ultimately the tragedy of two accidental deaths plagued the artwork. But the project’s glory — in the form of 1,340 blue umbrellas 18-foot tall umbrellas in Japan and 1,760 yellow umbrellas in Southern California — shines forth as an incredible work of art.”
Thirteen/WNET will screen Umbrellas on Thursday, February 10 at 10:00PM & Tuesday, February 15 at 12:25AM. The film will also be screened at MoMA on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at 8:30PM.
