In 1983, French artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude wrapped 11 Biscayne Bay islands in Pepto-pink, polypropylene fabric. Resembling a creepy, futuristic HAZMAT quarantine, the installation, Surrounded Islands, required ten permits and seven public hearings. Wildlife rescue teams remained in constant vigil in order to keep nesting ospreys and grazing manatees safe from the rose-colored blanket of death. For his new project, “Over the River,” the recently widowed (2009)Christo plans to suspend 42 miles of silver textile over Colorado’s Arkansas River. In response, critics have organized “Rags Over the Arkansas River,” or ROAR, to protest the project, which they believe will endanger bighorn sheep that roam the canyon, as well as jam up local roads with New York art snobs. Christo's other work-in-progress is “The Mastaba,” over 400,000 oil barrels stacked in a trapezoidal pyramid, slated for the United Arab Emirates. This Friday, the controversial artist will discuss both projects at the Frost Art Museum during “Christo & Jeanne-Claude — Two works in progress” which is part of the museum’s Green Critics lecture series.
Fri., Feb. 11, 7 p.m., 2011