Since the 1960s, Christo and Jeanne-Claude have been pioneer artists. They were famous for creating a piece in response to the building of the Berlin Wall in 1962. They blocked off the Rue Visconti in Paris with a wall of oil barrels. The 4-meter-high wall built with oil barrels completely closed the street and blocked all communication between Rue Bonaparte and Rue de Seine. Initially, Christo and Jeanne-Claude just wanted to create artworks of joy and beauty. At the same time, they also paid attention to political issues. For example, in the 1970s they proposed to wrap the Reichstag in Berlin, symbolizing healing German’s wounds that the country had split. All people thought that it was nonsense. What's more, it took nearly 24 years to finish the project and cost about 13 million US dollars. The proposal was finally passed by the elected Members of Parliament. The sensational work “Wrapped Reichstag” came out in 1995 and attracted 5 million visitors in just two weeks.
Their works relate to the environment, including buildings, islands and canyons. People regard them as leaders in Land Art or as members of Conceptual Art. However, the artists regard themselves as environmental artists. Because they created many works in cities – in urban environments – and also in rural environments but never in deserted places, and always sites already prepared and used by people. Also they want to see their projects realized from paper. Hence, environmental artists are more perfect to describe them. Compared to other artists, their great works will eventually disappear. Their works could only be recorded in images, videos, or drawings. Whenever they wrap something, it will allow people find out different beauties of the environment, and stimulate people to explore the mystery. However, it also cost a lot of time, labour and expenses.
Talking about how Christo met Jeanne-Claude is quite a romantic love story. After Christo moved to Paris, he met Jeanne-Claude while he painted portrait for Jeanne-Claude's mother. They soon fell in love and Jeanne-Claude became pregnant by Christo. Although she married another guy called Planchon, Jeanne-Claude left him immediately after their honeymoon. Later Christo met Jeanne-Claude moved to the States.
Unfortunately, Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009, from complications of a brain aneurysm. But Christo still works on their projects on his own. In this era of science and technology, it is possible to put ridiculous ideas into practice. It is kind of sad that Jeanne-Claude couldn't see all their dreams come true.
This summer, Christo presents his first large-scale public sculpture in London. The work “Mastaba” which measure 20m in height and 40m in width, will float on the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. The sculpture is being paid for entirely by the artist. As with all of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects, no public money will be used and Christo does not accept sponsorship.
The Mastaba which was conceived in 1977, is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb. It was one of their projects for Abu Dhabi. Christo and Jeanne-Claude contracted professors of engineering to prepare structural feasibility studies about the Mastaba. Once the project passed, the Mastaba will be Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s only permanent large-scale work.
In addition to the Mastaba on the Serpentine Lake, Christo will present sculptures, paintings and images at the Serpentine Gallery. If our readers happen to be traveling in London during the summer, please don’t miss the great work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. It’s a special opportunity for people to witness a large-scale work which spent months finishing it.
Their works are collected by Centre National d'Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou, Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and other international organization.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Barrels and The Mastaba 1958–2018
Exhibition Date: 19 June to 9 September 2018
Venue: Serpentine Gallery in London
The Mastaba (Project for London, Hyde Park, Serpentine Lake)
Exhibition Date: 18 June to 23 September 2018
Venue: The Serpentine lake, Hyde Park (Temporary sculpture funded by Christo)
Figure 1：Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Floating Piers, Lake Iseo, Italy, 2014-16. Photo: Wolfgang Volz © 2016 Christo
Figure 2 left top：Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Surrounded Islands, Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980-83. Photo: Wolfgang Volz © 1983 Christo
Figure 2 left bottom：Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-95. Photo: Wolfgang Volz © 1995 Christo
Figure 2 right：Christo. Photo: Wolfgang Volz
