Surrounded Islands, Project for Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida [left panel] 1983

Editor: Here we have Christo's "Surrounded Islands, Project for Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida," a drawing from 1983 for a site-specific environmental art installation. The bright pink contrasting with the blue of the water and the green of the island vegetation makes for a rather striking visual. As a historian, how do you interpret a project like this one? Curator: It’s important to view Christo's work within the context of the late 20th-century art world where the dematerialization of the art object was a central concern. By temporarily intervening in the landscape, Christo questioned traditional notions of art's permanence and its commodity status. Why use such a vibrant, unnatural color? Editor: I would guess it is intended to catch the viewer’s attention. In effect it acts as if the natural environment is being altered with social, cultural and even economic interventions. Curator: Exactly. The selection of the location – Biscayne Bay, Florida – also tells us something. In the early 1980s, Miami was undergoing rapid development and attracting a lot of investment. Christo's project briefly transforms the space, forcing viewers to reconsider their relationship to the built environment. This is no isolated vision of environmental change! Do you find this temporary shift impactful? Editor: Absolutely! I suppose the ephemeral nature of the work highlights the constant state of flux in both the art world and the world at large. Its impact is less physical and more on the imagination. Curator: Indeed. The legacy of environmental art lies in its provocation and instigation of societal conversations regarding humanity and its impact. Thank you for sharing your interpretation.