LETTERS: Friday

How is this fabric roof art?

I had reservations concerning the Over The River “art” project, but a sketch in the July 25 Gazette crystallized my thoughts: The sketch clarified my concern over the claustrophobic effect of the fabric roof upon those under it, as well as the exclusion of the river’s natural beauty from the sight of those, such as I, outside it, who marvel at the sight of a river flowing with such untrammeled freedom.

It is the constancy of natural conditions that affects those who experience it and the inconstancy of man that causes him to respect what nature presents.

How does the draping of man-made fabric over man-made metal supports surpass or even enhance what already exists? How does imposing a man-made roof over the natural flow of the river and removing its natural open air mountain presence from view constitute “art”?

Albert M. Lerner

Woodland Park

Clothesline project

All this fuss about Christo’s project. I’ve been doing a project for years and it doesn’t take extra money; in fact it saves money and energy. My “materials” are very colorful, come in different sizes and are put up twice a week in the early morning and taken down by noon.

Nobody complains! I call my project “hanging the wash on the clothesline.”

Shirley Bozung

Colorado Springs

Let fabric rain over the river

On the “Over the River” project:

Let the art be seen. From the graffiti of the alleys in Rapid City, S.D., to the yuppie art galleries of Santa Fe, N.M., to the chalk pictures on sidewalks in Old Colorado City’s Artist on the Avenue. Let the art out.

All people need to be able to express and create, to see and be seen. I would love to see this done. I believe it would be a sight to behold, to see the shimmer of silver over the river — a once-in-a-lifetime image. The project has been well-thought-out over 18 years so I think everything has been looked at over and over again.

Let the project begin. Send in the billowing, shimmering sheets of silver and let it rain over the river.

Sharon Smith

Colorado Springs

Three years of disruption

Would someone please explain to me how covering a river could be called art? A feat of engineering, maybe.

Could one man’s ego mean so much as to destroy the natural beauty by erecting cloth over it? Surely the powers that be, if they are thinking clearly, would not allow this. 

Three years of highway slowdowns, stopped traffic and damage to the canyon walls could be disastrous. What benefit would the residents of this area gain for their three years of disruption? 

We have fooled around with nature enough. We have taken just about all of the animals’ living space.

Enough is enough.

B. A. Wilson

Colorado Springs

Just another ego trip

Any “artist” who thinks he can improve on God’s natural beauty has an ego problem that begs for treatment. I find this whole idea totally ridiculous.

If Christo (yet another man with a messiah complex?) has nothing better to do with his money than degrade our natural environment and harm our wildlife, I suggest he look into the many worthy charities for fellow human beings — and animals — in New York City and contribute his funds there. That would certainly be more useful than doing irreparable harm to the land around the Arkansas River, one of the natural glories of Colorado.

Let there be no mistake: It will be impossible to repair the damage to the environment (rock formations, wildlife, etc.) if this insanity is allowed to proceed. 

Kill it, and kill it quickly.  The “art community” in Salida should be collectively ashamed of itself for backing this ego trip. 

Bill Sullivan

Colorado Springs