Christo's 'Over The River' Fabric Art Project Now Scheduled For 2015 (VIDEO)

Fabric artist Christo is yet again pushing back the date for his "Over the River" project which proposes to hang 5.9 miles of aluminum coated fabric panels across a 42-mile stretch of the Arkansas River.

Construction was to begin in 2012 for an exhibition date of August 2014, but Christo's team said that the new exhibition date is August 2015, according to 7News. For reasoning behind the new date Christo's team said that it was due to a delayed approval to allow the project from the Bureau of Land Management which shortened the 28-month construction schedule to 24 months. The later date also gives local authorities more time to deliberate on the project.

And given the concern of some environmental groups about the project's impact on local land and wildlife, local authorities may need more time. The Denver Post reports that at the Fremont County Board of Commissioners public hearing on Tuesday, one of the two remaining hearings on the project, 10 hours of opposition and support was taken into consideration as well as 575 letters.

In January, law students in the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the "Over the River" project. The DU law students filed the suit on behalf of Rags Over the Arkansas River (ROAR), a group that opposes the industrial scale art project due to what they claim are environmental issues and dangers to the residents and visitors of the proposed "Over the River" project area.

The Bureau of Land Management approved the project in November and is believed to be the first artwork to receive the BLM's approval through the drafting of a lengthy environmental impact statement. Christo is still awaiting approval from two local counties that would be impacted by the project as well as the Colorado Department of Transportation and the State Patrol.

This is not the first rescheduling of Christo's large-scale art project. It was originally slated for a 2001 debut then pushed back three more times to 2014, and now a fourth aiming at 2015.

Comments

[DARK STAR]

09:14 AM on 02/26/2012

I can tell you first hand that in Miami when he did "Surrounded Islands" in 1983 he did three significant things: He used his own money, he cleaned up the area and left them in better shape than he found them, and he accomplished a great art project while a bunch of idiots jumped up and down about their own selfish causes.

As the weeks progressed, the fears about the environment were laid to rest, the spoil islands that were known as "beer can islands" used were cleaned up and fish returned to the area. The only dangers created were by the public and accessing the sites, mostly by boat. In the end it was a success.

OTR should be grateful for the attention, many of the posts on these boards are very ugly and IMO are not from those that actually live there.

[Both Wings 2 fly]

02:37 PM on 02/26/2012

As a person who actually worked on "Surrounded Islands", I can tell you first hand that Christo spends a lot of time and monies addressing environmental issues. The same uproar happened back then, with scientists saying that it would harm the manatees. So off to Sea World, where half the manatee pool was covered with the pink fabric and the other half was left open. The manatees were not only unafraid, but swam under it and started to make babies.
I am sure the same thoughtfulness has been carried through with this project.
As far as raising money, it does not come out of public funds, it is, unless he has changed his formula, but comes from the sale of his great pastel assemblages. Each drawing he sells goes to an escrow account till the budget is met, then executed. To him the end product is not the art but the process is.
Sua Sponte

[Both Wings 2 fly]

02:48 PM on 02/26/2012

P.S. No one has said what kind of economic boon this will be, for the small businesses, motels/hotels in the area, with the building, and the international audience his projects pull.

[gyrogearloose]

04:46 PM on 02/27/2012

The Arkansas River in Colorado is not Miami, nor is it New York City.

By inference, you seem to be suggesting that those who live along the Arkansas River and object to 'Over The River' are idiots. Kind of ugly thing to infer, don't you think? These people are just protecting their home town from being used as a New Yorker's toy.

The Canon City Daily Record is a small local paper. The poll they did is hardly likely to be dominated by outsiders, and it showed that 82% of the respondents object to 'Over The River'.

In the Colorado Springs area, people object to Over The River by about a 2 to 1 margin based on two polls done by the Gazette. I live in Colorado Springs and frequently drive along the river, either to go skiing in the winter or hiking or rafting in the summer. I therefore have a legitimate and appropriate interest in that area, as do many others here.

So where do you live?

[DARK STAR]

07:18 PM on 02/27/2012

No, that would be by your inference, not mine.

I said that that it is my opinion that their voices are not heard regardless of your gibberish and insecurity about "outsiders."

[maudau bagotal]

07:58 PM on 02/25/2012

Instead of wasting all this money to confuse the wildlife and blocking sunlight to the river, I think that Mr. Christo should consider moving his project around a mountain of HAITI. There, he would shelter many homeless earthquake victims while still having his artistic impact. All the money he would save could go toward feeding and building some infrastructure to support these people. How about that? Some socially-focus art!

[Apollo Kluchin]

06:31 PM on 02/25/2012

This is the Environmental Artist Apollo. I am also director of Environmental Art for Artists of America. An open letter to the Artist Christo!
Dearest Christo,
As a fellow artist and environmentalist, I am asking you to please cancel this project. This is not a project to raise environmental awareness. It is about making money $$$$$. Please keep this project in the conception phase as a what if, somewhat like NASA artist renderings of possible missions.It will be devastating to the eco system in several ways. Dangerous heavy equipment, dozens of workers and spectators tromping on sensitive plants, then using large sheets of plastic to block out the sun, killing more sensitive vegetation. The extra silt from the deployment of the instillation alone will kill fish. It will also disturb the migrational routs of Big Horn Sheep, disrupt nesting birds, other wildlife and literally throw the entire eco system out of balance for a 40 mile stretch of wild river. Christo, you have been quoted as saying that raising large sums of money from patrons to do these projects is part of his creative process. Six miles of what?(most likely milar plastic or some other synthetic made from oil) How many plastic bags is that equivalent too and where will all of this non-eco friendly waste be disposed? Destroying an environment for profit in the name of Art is offensive! You will gain more fans by calling this one off.
sincerely,
Apollo

[maudau bagotal]

07:15 PM on 02/25/2012

Thank you for saying it so eloquently. Blocking direct sunlight to the river and confusing the birds at so much expense does not make sense. Mr. Christo should consider moving this project around a mountain of HAITI. He would still get the artistic impact he search while providing valuable shelter to the still homeless earthquake victims. All the money he would save could be used to put some infrastructures to support these families.

[left in vermont]

01:41 PM on 02/24/2012

Christo is not a "Fabric Artist". Who writes this stuff?

[orthobobsuruncle]

07:50 AM on 02/28/2012

Indeed.

[Bolkonsky]

11:27 PM on 02/23/2012

Consider this video of the location:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqBcrYp_3K0

The proximity of the highway, and industrial rail activity along this stretch of river, render any objections to 'abuse of public land' absurd. I'm sure many commenters here have no idea that this is the reality of the setting. And C is rightly excited about the wind in the vid too, one of the oppo's main bugaboos. Thoroughly engineered for safety - it will become one of the best, dynamic features of the installation.

ROAR's website reads like a crankypants mess, and that's exactly what they and their regressive, lawsuit and dreary visionless crusade are. (Just a hunch, but if only it was a strip mine or nuke or a tar pipe - i bet much of this crowd would rise up with pitchforks - in support of it !)

ROAR posts photos of concrete bunkers left behind from the early 70's Valley Curtain project. "Oh the outrage", right ? What they don't tell you, quite deceitfully, is that the owners of that land specifically requested that C+JC leave that concrete in place, as a memento of the event, which they thoroughly relished hosting. So much for integrity at roar.

More:
http://www.overtheriverinfo.com/index.php/about-the-artists/valley-curtain/

Valley Curtain doc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuHYC-FXVbg

The Gates:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asrkpr4Wnf4

[Screaming-of-the-Lambs]

12:08 AM on 02/24/2012

How about THIS argument: IT ISN'T WANTED BY MANY OF THE CITIZENS OF THE AREA/STATE/COUNTRY because it will DAMAGE the Earth. Period.

I used capital letters for emphasis.

I won't even bring up the whole art vs. not art thing. There is simply no need to disturb the land. No. need.

[gyrogearloose]

08:24 AM on 02/24/2012

A little ramification on Screaming-of-the-Lambs point...

In a poll by the Canon City Daily Record on 2/9/12, 82% of respondents disapproved of Christo’s ‘Over The River’ project. In a similar previous poll by the Colorado Springs Gazette in July 2010, 67% disapproved. In another more recent Gazette poll, 62% objected.

The debate about Christo is not about ‘art’ per se, but is in fact about whether an individual with deep pockets and big ego should be allowed to do as he pleases on public lands despite the overwhelming objection of the people who live near and use those lands, and of the Colorado public in general.

Christo’s project has proceeded, not because it is inherently good, but because he has a sophisticated and well financed public relations machine that has lobbied our politicians, business community, and media so as to promote OTR over the objections of the public. That Christo’s money should buy power and influence, and therefore trump the will of the people, is exactly the same problem that we currently have in Washington, and it needs to end.

[ZenCrusader]

04:44 PM on 02/23/2012

The project should go ahead as soon as possible. His art installations are great experiences. We need MORE art and more shared experiences. Stop acting like Republicans.

[sensimilla]

07:00 PM on 02/23/2012

this is ridiculous, and will have serious impacts to wildlife and environmental quality as the shade fabric degrades.

His art installations are all about ego, he should have been an architect.

[Bolkonsky]

11:12 PM on 02/23/2012

'Degrades' - in two weeks ?

You haven't even investigated the most basic facts of this issue, have you.

[Screaming-of-the-Lambs]

11:13 PM on 02/23/2012

A Republican is someone who doesn't listen to the majority of the population and implements stuff anyway-often to the detriment of society and then turns around and complains that there's too much government. You are the Republican.

[ZenCrusader]

08:52 AM on 02/24/2012

stopping art and shared experience sounds very Republican to me, a liberal democrat. I have heard all the objections that are always mounted to stop a Christo project - they are always impediments to stop the public from seeing unique art placed upon otherwise famliar landscapes. Art is a matter of taste. Trying to stop art is just wrong.

[gyrogearloose]

08:54 AM on 02/24/2012

I think you and I are on the same side on the issue of OTR.
I'm a Republican, at least most of the time.

The governor is in favor of OTR. He's a Democrat.

Lets not turn this into a polictical debate when it really isn't.

If it's a battle, it's one of a majority of the public against Christo himself, our government that has been lobbied heavily by Christo's machine, and against those relatively few who expect to make a lot of money if OTR succeeds.

[lzach]

12:29 PM on 02/23/2012

Keep pushing it back, PLEASE. Or push it into another state. Or push it...
Ridiculous. Let this goof buy private land of his own and scar it. And, BLM - do your job and manage the public lands - don't peddle them. Leave the flora and fauna free from this intrusive footprint.

[DenverBigDaddy]

10:11 AM on 02/23/2012

If they actually let this kook do this, no chance it's up longer than 5 minutes before our citizens remove it themselves. This is one of the more ridiculous things I have ever seen proposed in the name of "art". That river is far more beautiful as is than it can ever be with a blankie over it. Who dreams up this stuff anyway?

[Cailleach9]

07:30 PM on 02/23/2012

Here in art loving Taos County, NM, this project was originally planned for the Rio Grande gorge. We fought it for environmental and aesthetic reasons. There is also another reason. In a way, it's already been done. After spring rains a few years ago, scree and boulders started to fall onto the roadway. Heavy wire netting was put up to catch these kinds of rock falls. So, one: the rockfalls would destroy the covering, and two: it's already been done.

[jiffykodak]

02:30 AM on 02/23/2012

I hope that this project will go through without further delay. The locals are beginning to really look quite uncultured and misinformed about the artist and his work. Its not a waste of money, no government monies are being spent whatsoever. Christo succeeded with other water projects like the Surrounded Islands, Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980-83, what a beautiful project. Look how many people enjoyed The Gates in Central Park. Colorado has several great museums including the Denver Art Museum and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. It saddens me to see mis-informed "art haters" trying to kill this beautiful project!

[gyrogearloose]

09:27 AM on 02/23/2012

Just to be clear, this isn't an 'art haters' issue. It's an outdoors lovers issue. If you survey posts among several news sites reporting on OTR, you'll see plenty of self declared art lovers saying that they are opposed to OTR.

One can enjoy art in general and still find Christos project to be an inappropriate abuse of public land.

[SubgeniusMustHaveSlack]

01:45 PM on 02/23/2012

This is egomaniacism, not art. The "artist" is a one trick pony and his "art" is questionable at best.

[Bolkonsky]

06:53 PM on 02/22/2012

Wow - unanimous grumble-grumble here.

I think it's an awesome project, support it wholeheartedly, and would love to experience it first hand - especially from the river - once it's installed.

Before you commence flaming - at least avail yourself of Christo's faq page at the OTR website: http://www.overtheriverinfo.com/index.php/about-over-the-river/faqs/

[SubgeniusMustHaveSlack]

01:47 PM on 02/23/2012

This project is an ecological disaster waiting to happen, and the statement of this project is reprehensible disdain for the environment. It is christo and his dominatrix wife's ego gratification, not art.

[Bolkonsky]

10:56 PM on 02/23/2012

You have absolutely not even the very first clue.

Resign from the church of the sub genius immediately - you phony.

[pariwmv]

04:05 PM on 02/22/2012

Thanks to everyone who has posted so far. It's nice to see that people truly appreciate the natural beauty of Colorado. I know we will start to see comments from crisco's shills here soon but the real people of Colorado have spoken. We don't need or want this terrible project.

[N133]

01:41 AM on 02/23/2012

Your tone in regard to Christo and to people who may have a different opinion than you says much more about you than it does about the project. As a "real" person who resides in and pays taxes in Colorado, I'm entitled to my opinion, and it's that sad you feel the need to resort to infantile name-calling in order to get your "point" across.

[jiffykodak]

02:34 AM on 02/23/2012

crisco? that's frying lard! I'm curious to know if the people behind ROAR actually engage in any arts or cultural activities? Ever been to the Denver Art Museum?

[SubgeniusMustHaveSlack]

01:53 PM on 02/23/2012

Despising this "artist's" ego driven excesses is not anti-cultural.

Yves Tanguy's "Indefinite Divisibility", THAT is art.

[pariwmv]

03:43 PM on 02/23/2012

Actually I am an artist from a family of artists and yes, I understand that art is in the eye of the beholder. I may not like every piece of art I see but I can appreciate the talent in a good piece of art. This is not art.
Further, I live about 10 miles from one section of this proposed project and need to drive on US Hwy 50 to get to medical appointments, dentist visits, shopping, and pretty much everything. I am very concerned about the dangers and delays this project will create over the 3 - 4 year span of construction and destruction.
Last night we had winds of over 65mph. In November we had a horrific wind storm that toppled tens of thousands of trees in the area including over 100 on my place alone. This project is only engineered to withstand 40mph. There is no way it will withstand the normal winds the Arkansas River canyon receives on a regular basis. This project has the potential to create a very dangerous situation from many aspects, not just the wind.
But the bottom line is that this project should not be allowed on public lands and in just a beautiful place.

[cdeblake]

02:24 PM on 02/22/2012

Wottaloadacrap! Fingers crossed here that we don't hear of this project any more . . . a better spent $600K would go a long way toward solving another problem -- ANY problem. Sunhats for horses would be nice and wouldn't bash the environment or ugly up the landscape. Maybe food for starving Somalie people -- but then, what's the fun in that? (sigh)

[gyrogearloose]

01:56 PM on 02/22/2012

In a poll by the Canon City Daily Record on 2/9/12, 82% of respondents disapproved of Christo’s ‘Over The River’ project. In a similar previous poll by the Colorado Springs Gazette in July 2010, 67% disapproved. In a more recent poll 62% objected.

The debate about Christo is not about ‘art’ per se, but is in fact about whether individual with deep pockets and a big ego should be allowed to do as he pleases on public lands despite the overwhelming objection of the people who live near and use those lands, and of the Colorado public in general.

Christo’s project has proceeded, not because it is inherently good, but because he has a sophisticated and well financed public relations machine that has lobbied our politicians, business community, and media so as to promote OTR over the objections of the public. That Christo’s money should buy power and influence, and therefore trump the will of the people, is exactly the same problem that we currently have in Washington, and it needs to end.

[thethinker2]

01:32 PM on 02/22/2012

One of the biggest wastes of public and private time, energy, and resources that I've ever heard of. As a Coloradoan, I am embarrassed, but not surprised that anyone would support or approve of this boondoggle.

It always comes down to this: the promise of money trumps everything else.

[beerbagger]

01:30 PM on 02/22/2012

Many thanks to ROAR, the law students and everyone working to avoid this huge piece of garbage!!!