Recalling the Gates

Christo and Jean-Claude's The Gates

During the 16 chilly February days that Christo and Jean-Claude's caution-orange Gates (can we please stop calling them saffron?) straddled Central Park's walkways, much was written about how the fleeting, ephemeral nature of the installation emphasized the power of collective experience and memory. A brand new project launched today by the Institute for the Future of the Book and Flickr.com explores those qualities further by inviting the four million or so people who came to stare at the Gates to share their photographs and stories about the massive public art project. The aim of these two digital archivist organizations is to build what they're calling a "collective memory machine" that will offer the masses access to the ways the Gates impacted individuals. Everyone who experienced the Gates is encouraged to share their memories through words and pictures. For additional information on the project, and to submit your work, visit www.gatesmemory.com