Floating Piers - with a twist! (non-boating)

[MapisM]

I suppose some of you guys already heard of Christo, the artist who became famous wrapping - well, just about anything.
He's currently working at a huge installation in Lake Iseo, which will be open to public for a couple of weeks this summer, from June 18th to July 3rd.
It's called The Floating Piers, and as I'm told by friends more expert on modern and contemporary art than myself, it's considered the most important artistic event of the year.

Which doesn't necessarily make it everybody's cup, of course.
But I thought to mention it here anyway, because it's not far from where I live, and if some forumites would be interested to spend a rather peculiar day on the water, it would be nice to catch up.
Btw, I will definitely be there sometime during the June 25/26 weekend, together with a well known Tasmanian forumite - not that he's coming for this reason alone, but he'll take the opportunity.

And the place is indeed nice also regardless of the Floating Piers, for those who have never been there.
You can read a Huffington post article here, among others which can be found just googling around.
Oh, and of course, great food and wine come with the territory, so to speak! :encouragement:

 

[Firefly625]

what a load of tosh.



did I say that out loud?

 

[sarabande]

"All of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects came from ideas from their two hearts, and their two brains. The artists never created works that came from other people’s ideas. Never. "

Sadly his wife, Jeanne Claude died in 2009.


I am a philistine in these matters of public arts. I see no way this can enhance the built environment or move forward the aesthetic freedom of mankind.


Don't suppose that either of them had ever been near a marina before.... or seen these:-

Citizen Bridge, New York

Queen Emma Bridge, Willemstadt

or the work on Recreational Trails:-
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/...812/page01.cfm

or the Bog Bridges of the Somerset Levels

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Is the Italian taxpayer paying for that?

 

[Bandit]

Is the Italian taxpayer paying for that?

No most likely the German taxpayer indirectly.

 

[MapisM]

No most likely the German taxpayer indirectly.

Yeah, right.
As if the German taxpayer income wouldn't come from silly Italians, Greek, British, and so forth, when they keep buying cars from the largest fraudsters in the industrial history.
You'd better not get me started on who REALLY subsidize who within EU, behind the official statistics.
Oh, and wake me up when you are done with the accounting to the last penny in order to decide whether it's better to remain or leave...

...Geez, I perfectly understand anyone arguing that this type of art is not their cup of tea - I even said that in my OP, to start with.
But how many of you folks are Daily Mail contributors, when you are not posting here in the asylum...?!?

Anyway, the answer to Deleted User question is in their FAQ webpage. Just click on "Who pays for the installations?".

 

[Portofino]

I like it -great boost to local tourism /economy etc .
Many years ago on lake Neuchatel in Switzerland ,they did an "art thingy" all interaction .
We went ended up in the overflow car park and navette to exhibit ,-that busy -spent the best part of whole day viewing .
Never really understood exactly what I was looking at ,but folks talked about for years to come .Pleased not to have missed out .
If you go to these things with an open mind often thay exceed expectations .

 

[AndieMac]

I like it -great boost to local tourism /economy etc .
Many years ago on lake Neuchatel in Switzerland ,they did an "art thingy" all interaction .
We went ended up in the overflow car park and navette to exhibit ,-that busy -spent the best part of whole day viewing .
Never really understood exactly what I was looking at ,but folks talked about for years to come .Pleased not to have missed out .
If you go to these things with an open mind often thay exceed expectations .

I agree, besides, whatever floats your pontoon I guess.
Anyway I'll be looking forward to it, another new experience in beautiful Italy with local interpretation

 

[benjenbav]

I think it looks stunning. It actually made me think of what was there before and I would not have done so without seeing this work. I would confess to not having known about the artist.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

As if the German taxpayer income wouldn't come from silly Italians, Greek, British, and so forth, when they keep buying cars from the largest fraudsters in the industrial history.

Which of course begs the question why you Italians want to stay married to the German fraudsters in the EU and Euro?

Anyway, the answer to Deleted User question is in their FAQ webpage. Just click on "Who pays for the installations?".

Thats the kind of art I like where the artist pays for his own self indulgence

 

[MapisM]

Anyway I'll be looking forward to it, another new experience in beautiful Italy with local interpretation

Yep, we're also looking fwd to that C, I'm sure we'll have a great time!

@ Portofino & Benjenbav (plus anyone else who think they might appreciate, or are just curious about it): drop me a pm if you would like to join us.

PS: just in case someone doesn't know, and is more interested in boats rather than artistic installations:
Lake Iseo is also the home of Riva yard, and there might a chance to hire an Aquarama (I mean the real one, not the modern plastic thing - which is also stunning anyway) for a lake cruise...

 

[MapisM]

Which of course begs the question why you Italians want to stay married to the German fraudsters in the EU and Euro?

I don't think any Italian actually wants to stay "married" to anyone else, TBH - not even to other Italians....

But most of us are romantic folks, you know.
On one hand, we are extremely individualistic and can fight for trivial problems with our next door neighbour, and otoh we are - without a shadow of a doubt - the Country which is doing the largest efforts to help migrants stranded at sea in the middle of the Med, on boats that none of us would dare going onboard even while docked.
Mind, not that there aren't some of my fellow citizens who would rather shoot and sink them, but most of us think that doing nothing (let alone build walls) simply is not an option.
Then again, we also have crooks in command of large cruise ships who actually killed some of their passengers just to show off...
...At the end of the day, variety is the spice of life, as they say.

I just can't stand sweeping generalizations as the one on German taxpayers who take care of saving the universe! :ambivalence:

 

[AndieMac]

............Lake Iseo is also the home of Riva yard, and there might a chance to hire an Aquarama (I mean the real one, not the modern plastic thing - which is also stunning anyway) for a lake cruise...

Count us in on this P :encouragement:

 

[MapisM]

Haha, I had no doubt about that!
Don't hold your breath though, I heard that they might even restrict lake cruising to private boats during the event...

 

[scubaman]

Not quite sure what to make of it. Hope you'll post some pics of the altered environment once you've seen it.

Would make a great excuse to fly the drone, btw.

 

[MapisM]

Hope you'll post some pics of the altered environment once you've seen it.

I sure will, K.
And even if so far I resisted the temptation to join the Phantom owners' club (because I already have more toys than time and wish to use them), pretty sure there will be plenty of drone videos on youtube showing the modified landscape.
I'm also looking fwd to seeing it from an aerial perspective, on top of walking on the real thing!

 

[Otter]

I think his work is stunning but art is subjective and not everyone likes his work, that's a good thing.