Running Fence revisited

One focus of my research for the "journey lines" project is paths, and things to do with paths/tracks, and things functioning as paths. Enter - or reappear - the Running Fence (1976); I've been watching this video about the Smithsonian's exhibition, which reveals (some of) the hidden aspects of the project: thinking about the role of the extensive documentation, and enjoying the many wonderful photos, especially those by Wolfgang Volz.

In the short interview on the video, Christo talks about making a full-scale model of his (and Jeanne-Claude's) projects in a secret location, to observe the effects of weather etc.

Running Fence needed 2050 post holes - all of which needed decisions on soil, depth, etc for stability. 600 were individually plotted - by hand.
There are many concept drawings of how the fence would look in various terrains.

To decide how the fence would enter the ocean, at least four technical schemes were considered.Negotiating the passage of the fence with the 59 landowners is another part of the story.
As this blogger writes, "The Running Fence project clearly succeeded in calling people beyond their daily charge, inviting them to be a part of a unique historic event, whose legacy now resides in their collective memory."

A fence that united people, rather than divided them.