Christo's latest piece, called "The Floating Piers," invites visitors to walk on water -- or at least on 200,000 polyethylene cubes covered in 100,000 square meters of shimmering, saffron-colored fabric floating on said water.
At no cost, the public can traverse Italy's Lake Iseo on foot via a glimmering, golden quilt, walking between the Italian mainland to two small islands, Monte Isola and San Paolo. The work, 40 years in the making, is a triumph of the creative imagination, offering viewers an admittedly useless but utterly enchanting aesthetic experience for free.
Last week, for example, over 3,000 people were left stranded at a train station in the nearby Italian city of Brescia while attempting to visit the massively overcrowded piece. Codacons claims the costs resulting from evacuating the tourists, cleaning up after the visitors and ensuring the safety of everyone involved are unsustainable. The group questions, furthermore, how such a project was greenlighted in the first place.
Advertisement
"We want to know how much taxpayers' money has been spent on a project which, until now, seems to have generated enormous publicity for the artist without bringing direct benefits to local entities and citizens," Codacons said in a statement.
Of course, this complaint is only heightening the already overwhelming attention "The Floating Piers" will receive, as thousands continue to flock to the destination that promises to let you experience magic for a single day. You may also experience extreme overcrowding, long lines, pushing, frustration, and potential abandonment at your local train station, but that's the price you pay when the actual price is free.
The piece opened to the public on Saturday, June 18, and will exist until July 3, 2016.
From the evening of June 15 to the evening of June 17, teams unfurl 100,000 square meters of shimmering dahlia-yellow fabric on the piers and pedestrian streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio.
From the evening of June 15 to the evening of June 17, teams unfurl 100,000 square meters of shimmering dahlia-yellow fabric on the piers and pedestrian streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio.
From the evening of June 15 to the evening of June 17, teams unfurl 100,000 square meters of shimmering dahlia-yellow fabric on the piers and pedestrian streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio.
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
People walk on the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev, known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Iseo, Italy.
Advertisement
People walk on the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev, known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Iseo, Italy.
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
People walk on the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev, known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Sulzano Village of Iseo Town, Brescia, Italy. Approximately 200,000 floating cubes were placed on the lake to make a runway connecting the village of Sulzano to the small island of Monte Isola on the Iseo Lake.
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
People walk on the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev, known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Iseo, Italy.
Advertisement
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
A view of the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev. known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Iseo, Italy.
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
A view of the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev. known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Iseo, Italy.
Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
A view of the installation "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo Lake by the Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev. known as Christo, on June 18, 2016 in Iseo, Italy.
From the evening of June 15 to the evening of June 17, teams unfurl 100,000 square meters of shimmering dahlia-yellow fabric on the piers and pedestrian streets in Sulzano and Peschiera Maraglio.
The felt that will cover the cubes underneath the yellow fabric is transported from Montecolino to San Paolo island by Elimast Helicopter Service, May 2016.
At a factory in Fondotoce at Lago Maggiore, 200,000 high-density polyethylene cubes are manufactured over a period of eight months before delivery to the work site in Montecolino, January 2016.
At a factory in Fondotoce at Lago Maggiore, 200,000 high-density polyethylene cubes are manufactured over a period of eight months before delivery to project work site in Montecolino, January 2016.
Advertisement
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
During the life-size test at Montecolino, Christo is obviously delighted as the piers undulate with the movement of the waves, Lake Iseo, October 2015.
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
Lake Iseo with the town of Sulzano in the foreground, the island of Monte Isola on the right and the island of San Paolo on the left.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.