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Article Last Updated: 2/25/2005 11:32 PM
Parody of 'The Gates' earns financial adviser fame
The Associated Press

Salt Lake Tribune

BOSTON - ''The Gates,'' a public design project in New York's Central Park by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, is giant, ''saffron colored'' and cost $20 million.

''The Somerville Gates,'' by financial adviser Geoff Hargadon, is tiny, orange and cost $3.50.

It remains to be seen which will earn more lasting fame.

Hargadon - ''Hargo,'' as he's now known - had to shut down his Web site featuring photos of his gates after it received 5.5 million hits in one week.

Hargadon, 50, lives in Somerville, just north of Boston. His creation consists of 13 3 1/2 -inch plastic gates spread across his loft, often tracing the path of his cat, Edie. The ''Feeding Gates,'' for example, go to Edie's bowl.

Hargadon said his project wasn't intended to mock the Central Park installation, which he visited last week and enjoyed. His target was the hype that's surrounded ''The Gates.''

A review calling ''The Gates'' the first great public art creation of the 21st century pushed Hargadon over the edge and inspired him to do his own project.

Hargadon has received about 3,000 e-mails from fans and academics. But much to the dismay of fans, ''The Somerville Gates'' were removed from the Web site Thursday to help trim Hargadon's rising Internet bill.

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