Big Dreams Come in Small Wrappings

When I was barely twenty-two, I had the good fortune of seeing Christo and Jeanne Claude giving a talk about their latest project. The Gates, a monumental installation that spanned 23 miles of Central Park, its saffron colored flags billowing in the wind. The project was envisioned in 1976, but it wasn’t realized until 20xx

My first exposure to christo came was the umbrellas that dotted the 405, I was a teenager at that time. My mother excitedly told me about this new wonderful project, by christo. And at the time, I thought it was stupid, what the point I thought…. Silly wasn‘t it?

One day we were zooming down the 405, and there they were! Yellow Umbrellas dotting the landscape. 13 year old me wasn’t too impressed. I thought they looked a tad sparse on the grassswept slope.

The lesson was still lost on me until 2xxx in New York City. I’m standing there in the audience, a nervous wreck, there they were. Christo and the love of his life and partner, Jeanne Claude. They were the coolest presence in the room.

One member in the audience, I don’t specifically recall their appearance, their question was something along the lines of “Why do you do this project? It looks liek a giant just came along and placed these flags, but Im curious, what compels you to create such a specatcle.“

They simply replied, we are just doing it for ourselves. IT’s something we want to experience and create for ourselves and it brings us joy.

(photo of gates, and christo in front of the gates)

Unfortunately, I didn’t understand what they were saying for another 20 odd years. But now, that I am older and wiser, their message was simply thus:

”Play.”