The Encampment Public Art Project - Are the Gates Coming Next to Roosevelt Island?

A Christo Gates like public participatory arts project called the Encampment by artist Thom Sokoloski is coming to Roosevelt Island during Open House New York in partnership with the Roosevelt Island Historical Society and Roosevelt Island Visual Arts Association. The project is scheduled to be presented from October 5 - 7 and will place 100 19th century expedition style tents at Southpoint Park. Throughout September the public will be encouraged to participate in the Encampment's creative process.
The Encampment is described as follows:

The Encampment is a large-scale public participatory art installation. One hundred - 19th century expedition-style
tents will be erected as a work of optical art on Roosevelt's Island Southpoint. Though the work can be seen during
the day, its experience is truly a nocturnal one. New Yorkers along both sides of the East River will be able to view the
symmetries of the interiorly lit tents all night long, while the public can experience the installations created by
volunteer creative collaborators within each of the tents from 7pm -1am, October 5-7, 2007.
Since the creation and completion of The Encampment requires the participation of the public, we invite the residents
of Roosevelt Island, as well as multi-disciplinary artists and students focused on art, design, architecture and the
performing arts to join in the creative process. Throughout September they will collaborate with the Creative Team to
research the stories, people, culture, architecture and history of Roosevelt Island. They will have the choice to design
an installation for one of the tents, take part in choreographed ceremonies, partake in a musical landscape or join the
production crew that puts it all together!

The Toronto based creators of the Encampment are also promoting a 24 hour Art Adventure to view the project which includes a private jet from Toronto and a gourmet meal. We don't know if the gourmet meal is on Roosevelt Island or not.

In this 24-hour art adventure you will travel by private jet from Toronto to New York and be chauffeured to the elegant Millennium UN Plaza Hotel, which overlooks The Encampment on Roosevelt Island. That evening you will be treated to a gourmet dinner and be a VIP guest at the premiere of the artwork. Throughout the night and following day you will experience The Encampment from a multitude of perspectives: from your hotel room above, on the East River and at the site itself. The creative team will also guide you on an exclusive tour of Castle Williams, the site of their next work The Babel Symphony, before returning by jet to Toronto.