Letter from Kenneth Jessen
Christo – October 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine
Editors:
Doris Dembosky’s article (September, 2005, edition) about the “Over the River” project by Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, begs the question what is art? After having completed 55 interviews with Loveland- area artists for my weekly column in the local newspaper, I have learned that the definition of art is as murky as the water in the Arkansas River after a rainstorm.
It is in the eyes of the beholder, and to some, Christo’s piece will be nothing more than laundry blowing in the wind. Others will be inspired by how it changes color with sun angle and its magnitude (an estimated 40 miles long).
But no matter what, Christo has emphasized again and again that the process of creating a piece is as much a part of the art as the final result. This includes his many critics. For those who do not like the idea of draping a perfectly beautiful river in colored cloth panels, stay away; otherwise you will become part of the art!!
Kenneth Jessen
Loveland, Colo.
