Today marks the last day of Christo and Jeanne-Claude‘s latest installation in Paris: L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. For those who didn’t have a chance to see this work in person, I’m sharing images to bring it more to life.
Personally, I found this work both poetic and symbolic. Walking around and through this wrapped Arc, the fabric billows in the wind, creating soft undulating waves. This silver fabric changed color throughout the day.
In an interview with Christo in 2018, he spoke about how as a young artist he lived in a small studio off of the Champs-Élysées, with the Arc as his view. How fitting to end his journey with this installation.
Read more about what Christo shared with me in this article I wrote for Hemispheres Magazine. At the time, I looked forward to our meeting in person. Unfortunately, that never happened due to his passing in 2020.
Walking beneath the Arc de Triomphe allows you to feel its immensity and the challenge of wrapping such a monumental building. A skilled team of mountain climbers worked non-stop over almost 12 weeks.
While this installation certainly proved controversial on the question of What is art? keep in mind that it was completely funded by Christo and Jeanne-Claude through the selling of their artwork. This was their way.
I will miss the presence of Christo and Jeanne-Claude in Paris, but I know their souls will remain in the city, the only place where they chose to present two works. From The Pont Neuf Wrapped to L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped.
