The age-old question, “What is art?” has recently resurfaced in reaction to Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s newest installment of “The Gates” in New York City’s Central Park. By now most of us can all recite the details of this larger-than-life art project, but here is a recap: there are 7,532 gates winding through about 23 miles of Central Park along with more than a million feet of orange nylon. The reaction thus far has been mixed. Whereas some onlookers gasp in fascination, others simply walk away, unimpressed by yet another one of the artistic duo’s projects.

A recent article in the New York Times entitled “Young Critics see ‘The Gates’ and Offer Their Reviews” asked children for their opinions of the exhibit. Often, there is no better way to look at something than through the innocent eyes of youth. Whether interviews would yield overzealous answers by children who were overwhelmed by the spectacle as a whole, or whether they would provide insight to a complex issue for adults everywhere was certainly unknown in advance. No need to fear, though, the children came through, and with just as many varying opinions as the adults. Some children complained that they didn’t like the color orange, and some said that it was a waste of money. Others noticed the artistic quality in “The Gates.” One child said of Christo’s exhibit, ” … this is his art, his own interpretation.”

This child has hit the nail on the head. Art is just that — a personal interpretation of anything and everything that is placed in front of you. Yes, everyone has a right to their opinion, but in the case of “The Gates” it is hard to imagine not being able to realize the extent of their impact thus far on both the city of New York and the rest of the world. Some people even argued that “The Gates” has finally brought the city together over an issue totally free of 9/11 references and other political news.

It is clear that “The Gates” deserves all of the attention it has received, although many argue that the orange fabric is merely a disturbance to the natural beauty of Central Park, mainly designed to get a lot of publicity for two artists who took way too long to get their act together, and spent too much money (even if it was their own).

How can something that is getting so much attention not be important in some way? People all over the world have come to see “The Gates” and have been inspired by it. Is that not the purpose of art? “The Gates” succeed in provoking both conversation and thought as well as inspiring other artists — and in some cases, regular citizens — to address their artistic side.

So touched, clearly, by the popularity of “The Gates,” one couple in Somerville, Massachusetts has decided to make their own miniature replica of “The Gates” throughout their house. Many of you may have seen the photos on the Internet; it has been reported that 24 hours after posting the pictures of their homemade creation, the website had 99,000 hits.

In case you think this is another New York City phenomenon, those living near the Arkansas River in Colorado are itching for their own chance to host a Christo and Jeanne-Claude masterpiece. Prompted by the fascination that has spread with these two artists, Colorado residents are now eager to have their own major installation despite the slowness of communicating with the artists.

How can “The Gates” not be art? From small towns in Massachusetts to the Arkansas River everyone is talking about it. And even those who hate it cannot deny that they’ve taken the time to think about it.

Emily Friedman ([email protected]) is a sophomore intending to major in journalism.