Christo to build world’s largest permanent sculpture in Abu Dhabi

anguilla Monday, 26 November 2012 4:57 PM - UAE

RBH, would you mind enlightening the rest of us philistines on what exactly a stack of old oil cans in the middle of a pristine and 'spectacularly beautiful' area of desert is meant to achieve? Given that Abu Dhabi has prospered due to oil, and the burning and spilling of oil has contributed greatly to climate change and environmental destruction across the world, is it just meant ironically? Or else what is the 'environmental statement' being made here, that humans manage to defile even the remotest of landscapes?

Sad Monday, 26 November 2012 11:16 AM - UAE

I have looked him up and saw what he has done. It doesnt matter. Why would this much money be spent on something that is non-functional? At least, hardly as functional as paying for an entire nation's poor. A fraction of this is given to those who are not in a position to help themselves. I have friends on low salaries that spent their Ramadan working at orphanages in Ethiopia where they admit they saw very little in help from anyone except a few extra hands to help build and feed. it always takes the private working class to really get in and help while staggering amounts of money is spent on posturing.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 3:39 PM - Lebanon

Besides, not all hailed monuments out there are 'functional'.

Check out the Gateway Arc at St. Louis:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Arch

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 3:06 PM - Lebanon

"Sad," art doesn't always have a function. I advise you to learn more about art before commenting on it or criticising it.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 9:09 AM - RBH

From an artistic perspective, it would be a evironmental artwork that would still put Abu Dhabi on the art world map.

I love art too and I am a fan of Christo's enviornmental artworks. They're usually that expensive too to accomplish, and I guess if the money is available then why should we stand in the face of an artistic and environmental statement such as this one?

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 3:06 PM - Lebanon

Mick, you need to learn more about art. Art doesn't stop at the Louvre or the British Museum.

Besides, this is an artwork that is solely accredited to Christo, not to UAE.

Mick Monday, 26 November 2012 11:17 AM - UAE

RBH....it will take a lot more than this to put Abu Dhabi on any art world map. They are on the cultural map and historical map but art reputation is something that cities like Paris, New York, London etc have spent decades, if not centuries in procuring.
It's just one more rushed attempt to try and get to the front of the queue rather than slowly building credibility. The world won't see it as art but rather as just another over the top garish piece that has oodles of money behind it. Another pyramid made by low paid workers in the hot sun.

Mee Sunday, 25 November 2012 5:52 PM - UAE

Well I don't get what's so special about that. I mean yes it is an artistic piece, but it doesn't deserve all of that money.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 3:39 PM - Lebanon

Well said, Ali.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 9:08 AM - RBH

"Mee," not eveyrthing is for free. Even art.

Ali Sunday, 25 November 2012 7:22 PM - UAE

I am sure skeptics said this about the Eiffel Tower, Burj Khalifa, Sydnet Opera House, Taj Mahal etc

Rainigade Sunday, 25 November 2012 5:47 PM - UAE

Sorry, but this is just a scandalous slap in the face of all the children dying in Gaza and other parts of the world. IMHO.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 9:08 AM - Lebanon

I believe that this is another subject altogether that you're talking about, "Rainigade." It has nothing to do with this article.

Saudi Engineer Sunday, 25 November 2012 2:30 PM - Saudi Arabia

340 million USD?

Is that a typo, or did I misunderstand 340k USD? If we're talking millions, that's a LOT to pay for "art". I'm sure that much money could be put to much better use feeding the poor or building hospitals or schools - even if it is private investors.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 9:08 AM - Lebanon

They'll have enough money too to build whatever you're asking for, "Saudi Engineer."

Sad Sunday, 25 November 2012 2:19 PM - UAE

Sick.
This non-functional piece is costing a staggering amount of cash that could fee a continent. How do the sculptors themselves take on such a project without any guilt? Artists are, historically, meant to be less cash hungry and more soul-inspired and sentient.
We're really pushing the boundaries of shallowness now. First gazillion dollar Christmas trees and gold bar vending machines...now a sculpture costing hundreds of millions that means nothing, in the end. Whatever happened to humility and charity? We've now become a parody of ourselves.

RBH Monday, 26 November 2012 9:08 AM - Lebanon

Not every artwork is a functional piece, "Sad." I advise you to take a look at the artworks of Christo to better understand such environmental artworks and what message do they normally try to acheive: www.christojeanneclaude.net/

As for the charity part, I'm pretty sure that there is still enough money too to fulfill this need.