Running Fence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_Fence
Christo and Jean Claude took 4 years to build it, and it stayed in place for two weeks. It was a shimmering white fence over 24 miles long running through the hills of Sonoma and Marin, leading to the ocean. https://christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/running-fence/
They worked with and were supported by the local ranchers, local art communities and young local art students. https://museumsc.org/christo-legacy-remembered/ The 50-year celebration opened last night at the Sonoma County Art Museum. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/06/25/50-years-later-running-fence-keeps-running-through-sonoma-county/ and https://museumsc.org/christo/ Our wondrous friend Estelle is the Board Chair.
We talked with a descendant of one of the original local ranchers and with a then art student who helped hang the fence. There is a captivating picture of a local rancher holding a newborn calf in his arms with a big smile. He looked like a fellow standing nearby, so I asked if it was him; he said no that was 50 years ago and he was only 4 years old at the time. He told us which local rancher he thought it was. I walked over and talked with another gentleman. He was looking at a strong young man (his younger self it turned out) on a high ladder hanging white fence – a bit over 50 years earlier. He was a local art student volunteering at the time. After completing his studies, he went on to NY where he taught art for over 30 years. then came back home to Santa Rosa about the time of the pandemic. He was friends with Christo and Jean Claude back in NY; he and Katie discussed the “Gates” installation in Central Park and the huge smiles of locals as they walked through. https://christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/the-gates/
The Mayor and local Assembly person regaled us with their imaginations of the machinations with local, state and federal authorities and controversies with local communities that would be required to get this artwork built and installed today.
I remembered back to the vibrant yellow umbrellas that temporarily dotted the golden hills of the Grapevine when I drove to Sacramento and back for work in the early 90’s. https://christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/the-umbrellas/