Art comes to Bush's ranch.-Bush not happy ;-)

[Ocean Breeze]

For the Record
When President Bush begins a five week vacation at his ranch in Crawford, TX this weekend, he and First lady Laura Bush will be sharing their rustic get-a-way with another high-profile couple: artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The artists, responsible for "The Gates," the epic project installed in New York's Central Park that wowed the first lady, plan to wrap the Bush's 1600 acre ranch in eight miles of camouflage fabric.

President Bush 'not thrilled' to be sharing vacation with artists--especially one from France

By Russell D'Arby, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

CRAWFORD, TX-When first lady Laura Bush traveled to New York last spring to see the epic installation in Central Park known as "The Gates," she was reportedly so dazzled by the site of 7,500 brilliant saffron panels that she wanted a piece for herself. "She was just in awe," says a source close to the first lady. "Seeing such a monumental work of art really inspired her and made her want to replicate the project somewhere else."

Somewhere else turns out to be here in Crawford, TX, home to the Bush's 1600 acre ranch. Next week, Bulgarian-born Christo and his French wife Jeanne-Claude will begin swaddling the first family's favorite vacation spot in an estimated eight miles of camouflage fabric.

Camouflage unusual for Christo

During more than forty years as conceptual artists, the husband and wife team has worked in a variety of media, swaddling statues, walls and monuments, including the Reichstag in Berlin with nylon, polyamide fabric and cotton drop cloths. In 1983, the 'wrappers' surrounded several islands in Miami's Biscayne Bay with pink woven polypropylene.

But despite the sheer volume of fabric with which Christo and Jeanne-Claude have worked-their "Surrounded Islands" project alone consumed 6.5 million square feet of pink cloth, there is one material with which they have never worked: camouflage cloth.

"This is going to be a real challenge for Christo," says Ian Chase-Forde, author of "The Bolt Heard 'Round the World: Fabricating the Future," a post-modern meditation on the artist born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff. "Christo obviously fled the Bulgarian dictatorship, and he and Jeanne-Claude are French in every sense of the word, meaning that they opposed your president and his little military adventure. Camouflage is an important metaphor for militarism and he'll have to come to terms with that."

The president vs. the artists

President Bush is said to be less than thrilled with the prospect of spending his vacation with artists--particularly one from France. Mr. Bush is said to be notoriously indifferent to modern art, and to conceptual art installations in particular. "He's obviously not thrilled about the idea that French artists are going to be swarming all over his favorite retreat, but his attitude is that if it makes Laura happy, he'll support it," says the associate, noting that while Mrs. Bush wanted to leave the choice of color for the ranch's new 'garb' up to Christo and Jeanne-Claude, it was the president who selected the military-themed fabric.

Crawford in knots

Not everyone is pleased with the news that this tiny Texas town could soon play host to the biggest art makeover since the Alamo underwent its repair job in the 1990s. While New York stands to reap an estimated $80 million in proceeds thanks to the influx of visitors who swarmed Central Park to see "The Gates," diehard Texans would just as soon do without the cash-if it means being spared the presence of pretentious artists and the art denizens who follow them.

"It's crap if you ask me," says Crawford resident Mitch Denton. "If this guy can't think of anything better to do than come down here with his fabric, I'm happy to offer some suggestions." For the record, Mr. Denton did have some ideas for Christo's next project, but they are not printable in a family publication.

At the Coffee Station, Crawford's one and only restaurant, locals gathered here recently for chicken fried steak and chatter, mostly Christo-related. At one table, occupied by 63-year-old Sally Anne Greevey and her husband Duane, the judgment was swift and harsh. "I think she's putting on airs," says Mrs. Greevey, referring to the first lady. "When she left for Washington she was just a nice Texas girl, but all of a sudden she's wearing designer clothes and inviting modern art folk into our neck of the woods," she says, shaking her head. "It's a darn shame if you ask me."

 

[Ocean Breeze]

Lifestyle
Bulgaria born conceptual artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude start work on their new project - wrapping of US President Bush ranch.

An online article in the US Swift Report tells about the extravagant couple's plan to wrap the Bush's 1600 acre ranch in eight miles of camouflage fabric.

The invitation was sent by the US First Lady Laura Bush, who was deeply impressed by last present work of the couple, displayed in the New York's Central Park in the winter - 7,500 gates hung with panels of saffron-coloured orange fabric.

President Bush, though, is said to be less than thrilled with the prospect of spending his vacation with artists -particularly one from France, article reads. Mr. Bush is said to be notoriously indifferent to modern art, and to conceptual art installations in particular, it says.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who is French, are known for their large-scale public art pieces. They surrounded 11 islands in Miami with pink woven fabric in 1982, wrapped silver fabric around the German Reichstag in 1995 and opened 3,100 umbrellas in Japan and California in 1991.

 

[missile]

Who says a Canadian can't get along with George? What ever that dude does with his cloth..it ain't art!

 

[I think not]

This thread should be under some sort of gossip column, who gives a rats ass wtf he does in his house?

 

[missile]

With all the negative comments about Mr. Bush,I thought it would be a change to note that his crawford Ranch is one of the most environment-friendly and energy efficient of it's type.

 

[manda]

I'd offer to toilet paper it for free! :twisted: Just think of the money that they could save! :lol:

And kudos to the fact that it is environmentally friendly, now if he could just adapt the idea of his house into his day-to-day conduct.... :roll:

 

[missile]

That's what I find so interesting about him..how his public policies differ from his personal ones People forget that, like all politicians,he is owned by the special interest groups who paid to elect him. Did you see that Al Gore is starting up his own TV Network? Interesting ..

 

[manda]

That's what I find so interesting about him..how his public policies differ from his personal ones People forget that, like all politicians,he is owned by the special interest groups who paid to elect him. Did you see that Al Gore is starting up his own TV Network? Interesting ..

T.V just got a whole lot unfriendlier...Gore, blech

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Art comes to Bush's r

Gore's station is actually what used to be NewsWorld International. It's been through a couple of owners since then, but CBC wa still supplying much of the content until the Gore takeover.

I'll wait until I see what he does before I condemn his new station, but I keep remembering that his wife tried to censor rock music. It makes me nervous.

 

[missile]

I wish they'd get together and ban all Rap[I wouldn't dignify it by calling it music!]

 

[manda]

I wish they'd get together and ban all Rap[I wouldn't dignify it by calling it music!]

GAK! 8O

Such Blasphemy! Hush your rabid tongue, lest I force some tetnus down your filthy mouth :twisted:

If you don't like all rap fine, it happens to be one of my favorite style...but before you go hopping to such sterotypical extremes, i want you to find the song "I Know I Can" by NAS and take a look at the lyrics. I believe that everyone should listen to that song, it sure beats the B tch slapping foul-mouthed ideals of rap all to hell

 

[missile]

I don't mind filthy lyrics,I just hate RAP! The only good thing about their videos is all the nearly naked women shaking what their mamma gave them. :lol:

 

[manda]

I don't mind filthy lyrics,I just hate RAP! The only good thing about their videos is all the nearly naked women shaking what their mamma gave them. :lol:

I have to say that I am most disgusted by this statement....

 

[missile]

:twisted: