Christo in the Canyonlands

This summer my wife and I were lucky enough to buy five acres in Cotopaxi, CO just a few miles south of the artist Christo's proposed "Over the River" installation. We were drawn to the area by the rugged landscapes, the excitement of the Arkansas River, and the great culture of Salida and Canyon City. We didn't know the circus was coming to town. Christo will, according to his website,

Find more information on the Artist's site. Here's the article from the Denver Post, and here's what the New York Times had to say.

This is a unique spot on the planet with vast rock faces and intricate canyons. The canyons drain into the Arkansas River which runs through the Arkansas Canyonlands Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) with the Table Mountain Wilderness Study Area (WSA) on the north and the McIntyre Hills and Grape Creek WSAs on the south. Though the Arkansas and Highway 50 meander through the land along an organic path only a river could find, they are forming a loophole in the heart of the Arkansas Canyonlands ACEC. What else can we fit in that loophole? A Justin Beiber concert? Can I display my collection of baseball cards if I pay for it myself? Are these spectacular canyonlands a doll that needs a satin sash or a dog in a dress-up contest with a silly bow? What else can we do to further aggrandize this artist who has no self restraint? Can we damn the Arkansas to use as his toilet so all the creatures, anglers, and rafters can wade in his waste?

Perhaps I am undercutting the vision. Here's what Christo's website has to say about the artistic goals of the project.
Call me old fashioned, but I'd far rather let the sky reflect off the river itself, and I'd rather see the clouds, sky, and mountains without a sheet in the way.

Here's the thing: to me, this land is sacred—it's holy, carved by the forces of nature over millenia. And to the multitude of animals that make their homes in these canyons it's all there is. Should we encourage others to visit and view the splendor? Absolutely. But we should draw them here for what is here and show them how to live in harmony with this unique environment. Instead we are inviting this person to our sacred place and allowing him to redecorate as if he could possibly improve upon this vast cathedral. In general it is not acceptable to enter the places where others worship in order to hang posters on the walls. Anyone who has made the trip from Salida to Cañon City knows these canyons are something to behold. Let me just reiterate: there is no way anyone could make such a place more beautiful by changing it. It is absolutely spectacular just as it has been and continues to be created by the vast and patient power of nature.

What we are really inviting is this man to come in and put his full ego out on show in one of the most flagrant over-displays of "artistic vision" on the planet. And he will bring a trail of 100,000 trucks and automobiles into this sensitive environment that is special in part due to its solitude. Regarding the environmental costs, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, "After careful consideration of the potential impact to the Arkansas River and the wildlife and plants that inhabit this beautiful area, we believe that steps have been taken to mitigate the environmental effects of this one-of-a-kind project." Believing that steps have been taken is not the same as knowing there will not be environmental effects. On the contrary, it is obvious there will be environmental effects (here is the BLMs final environmental impact statement). The question is whether they are worth it for what is gained, and that is largely a matter of personal opinion and aesthetic inclination. It also depends on whether you are an animal trying to get to water or one of the people that will be inconvenienced for several years during the construction and put right out for the two weeks while people from all over the world drive that narrow highway to see the silly mask that has been hung on such a beautiful face.

Why would we allow such a smear on something holy by a man named Christo? Revenue. There is no reason to allow such a mockery of these sacred canyonlands except that it will bring global attention, travelers, and with them their dollars. While this is the definition of selling out, it also raises a critical issue: in this part of the state the economy is especially tough. Unemployment is high and job growth is negative. Okay, that is what the conversation should be about. Instead of a short-term flashy plan that brings a temporary burst of revenue with disproportionate damage to and defacing of the environment with an outsized disturbance to local communities, let's talk about how we can best utilize our local resources for sustainable growth. Instead of leasing our resources so someone else can build their resume, let's utilize those resources for the people that live here. Because after 2014 we're still going to be here, and I hope it doesn't come to hosting the "Canyon Clash" monster truck rally as a next step on the path toward a sustainable local economy.

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