Christo & Jeanne-Claude's land art
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WHAT IS
LAND ART?
LAND ART is a trend in art that emerged in the USA in the late 1960s, in which the work created by the artist is inseparable linked with the natural landscape. Land art appeared as a protest to traditional museum art. It advertised its accessibility to the viewer and its lack of commercial interest. Christo and Jeanne-Claude became the brightest representatives of Land art during 50 years of joint work.
WHAT IS
LAND ART?
LAND ART is a trend in art that emerged in the USA in the late 1960s, in which the work created by the artist is inseparable linked with the natural landscape. Land art appeared as a protest to traditional museum art. It advertised its accessibility to the viewer and its lack of commercial interest. Christo and Jeanne-Claude became the brightest representatives of Land art during 50 years of joint work.
?
?
?
?
?
HE PACK?
WHAT
DID
HOW DID IT
ALL START?
Christo Yavashev’s father owned a textile factory, and his mother worked as secretary of the Academy of Fine Arts. Their son became an artist who "packaged" various objects in cloth: from typewriter to the Reichstag building and the whole sea coast.
furniture
car
tree
woman
sculpture
building
coast
gorge
island
?
?
?
?
HE PACK?
WHAT
DID
HOW DID IT
ALL START?
Christo Yavashev’s father owned a textile factory, and his mother worked as secretary of the Academy of Fine Arts. Their son became an artist who "packaged" various objects in cloth: from typewriter to the Reichstag building and the whole sea coast.
furniture
car
tree
woman
sculpture
building
coast
gorge
island
HE HAS PACKED IT ALL!!
HE HAS PACKED IT ALL!!
"PACKING REMOVES FROM THE OBJECT ITS FUNCTION AND TURNS IT INTO AN CONTOUR. WE ARE NO LONGER DISTRACTED BY THE FUNCTION OF THE OBJECT, BUT LOOK ONLY AT THE FORM."
"PACKING REMOVES FROM THE OBJECT ITS FUNCTION AND TURNS IT INTO AN CONTOUR. WE ARE NO LONGER DISTRACTED BY THE FUNCTION OF THE OBJECT, BUT LOOK ONLY AT THE FORM."
THE GREATEST PROJECTS
1969 — Sheltered Shore, Little Bay, Australia
1976 — Running Fence, California
1972 — Curtain over the Valley, Grand Hodgepodge, Colorado
1983 — The Covered Islands, Miami, Florida
1985 — The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris
2005 — The Gates, Central Park, New York
1998 — Wrapped Trees, Beer Park, Rhian
1995 — Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin
1991 — Umbrellas, Japan / USA
1969 — Sheltered Shore, Little Bay, Australia
1976 — Running Fence, California
1972 — Curtain over the Valley, Grand Hodgepodge, Colorado
1983 — The Covered Islands, Miami, Florida
1985 — The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris
2005 — The Gates, Central Park, New York
1998 — Wrapped Trees, Beer Park, Rhian
1995 — Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin
1991 — Umbrellas, Japan / USA
PROJECTS
IN NUMBERS
2,5
41
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
workers
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
2,5
workers
300
41
300
2,5
41
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
workers
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
2,5
workers
300
41
300
2,5
41
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
workers
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
2,5
workers
300
41
300
2,5
41
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
workers
(Paris)
PONT NEUF
thnd m2 fabric
mln $
2,5
workers
300
41
300
26
3100
UMBRELLAS
3 100
26
workers
mln $
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
UMBRELLAS
workers
mln $
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
1 880
1 880
26
3100
UMBRELLAS
3 100
26
workers
mln $
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
UMBRELLAS
workers
mln $
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
1 880
1 880
26
3100
UMBRELLAS
3 100
26
workers
mln $
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
UMBRELLAS
workers
mln $
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
1 880
1 880
3100
UMBRELLAS
3 100
workers
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
UMBRELLAS
workers
umbrellas
(Japan-USA)
1 880
1 880
26
mln $
mln $
26
4
100
workers
REICHSTAG
100
1 500
4
mln $
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
workers
REICHSTAG
1 500
mln $
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
4
100
workers
REICHSTAG
100
1 500
4
mln $
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
workers
REICHSTAG
1 500
mln $
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
4
100
workers
REICHSTAG
100
1 500
4
mln $
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
workers
REICHSTAG
1 500
mln $
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
100
workers
REICHSTAG
100
1 500
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
workers
REICHSTAG
1 500
thnd m2 fabric
(Berlin)
mln $
4
mln $
4
21
7503
workers
GATES
gates
600
21
mln $
7 503
(New York)
workers
GATES
gates
600
mln $
(New York)
21
7503
workers
GATES
gates
600
21
mln $
7 503
(New York)
workers
GATES
gates
600
mln $
(New York)
21
7503
workers
GATES
gates
600
21
mln $
7 503
(New York)
workers
GATES
gates
600
mln $
(New York)
7503
workers
GATES
gates
600
7 503
(New York)
workers
GATES
gates
600
(New York)
21
mln $
mln $
21
IS THAT BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
No, all the material used for the land art projects was recycled, with the exception of pieces of cloth, which were taken away by contemporary art museums. The objects were also cleaned and the garbage was taken out before.
40 TONS OF GARBAGE
WERE REMOVED BEFORE THE wrapping OF THE MIAMI ISLANDS
WERE REMOVED BEFORE THE wrapping OF THE MIAMI ISLANDS
WHERE'S THE MONEY FROM?
$
$
The projects were worth tens of millions. To avoid dependence on sponsors and patrons, Christo and Jeanne-Claude created land-art projects solely on their own income from the sale of sketches and prototypes. In addition, free viewer access was important for the artists, so admission to all projects was free.
$
$
"AN IMPORTANT THOUGHT IN OUR WORK IS THAT ALL OUR PROJECTS REPRESENT FREEDOM, AND NO ONE CAN BUY THEM... FREEDOM IS THE ENEMY OF PROPERTY!"
WHERE'S THE MONEY FROM?
$
$
The projects were worth tens of millions. To avoid dependence on sponsors and patrons, Christo and Jeanne-Claude created land-art projects solely on their own income from the sale of sketches and prototypes. In addition, free viewer access was important for the artists, so admission to all projects was free.
$
$
"AN IMPORTANT THOUGHT IN OUR WORK IS THAT ALL OUR PROJECTS REPRESENT FREEDOM, AND NO ONE CAN BUY THEM... FREEDOM IS THE ENEMY OF PROPERTY!"
LOVE STORY
Bulgarian by origin, Christo graduated from the Sofia Academy of Fine Arts and went to Paris. Here they met each other. Christo taught Jeanne-Claude Den de Guilbon (a self-taught painter) art history, she taught him French.
The story tells that Christo first became infatuated with her sister Joyce. Jeanne-Claude, meanwhile, had been engaged to another man, but had become pregnant by Christo. After marrying another man, she divorced a month later: "I was convinced that my whole being was drawn to Christo. Their son Cyril was born in 1960, and they married in 1962.
The story tells that Christo first became infatuated with her sister Joyce. Jeanne-Claude, meanwhile, had been engaged to another man, but had become pregnant by Christo. After marrying another man, she divorced a month later: "I was convinced that my whole being was drawn to Christo. Their son Cyril was born in 1960, and they married in 1962.
It is noteworthy that Christo and Jeanne-Claude were born on the same day 13th June, 1935. They lived 50 years without separating, but they flew different planes, so that they could complete the project in case one of them crashed.
All the land art projects created For these 50 years are the result of their common creativity
LOVE STORY
Bulgarian by origin, Christo graduated from the Sofia Academy of Fine Arts and went to Paris. Here they met each other. Christo taught Jeanne-Claude Den de Guilbon (a self-taught painter) art history, she taught him French.
The story tells that Christo first became infatuated with her sister Joyce. Jeanne-Claude, meanwhile, had been engaged to another man, but had become pregnant by Christo. After marrying another man, she divorced a month later: "I was convinced that my whole being was drawn to Christo. Their son Cyril was born in 1960, and they married in 1962.
The story tells that Christo first became infatuated with her sister Joyce. Jeanne-Claude, meanwhile, had been engaged to another man, but had become pregnant by Christo. After marrying another man, she divorced a month later: "I was convinced that my whole being was drawn to Christo. Their son Cyril was born in 1960, and they married in 1962.
It is noteworthy that Christo and Jeanne-Claude were born on the same day 13th June, 1935. They lived 50 years without separating, but they flew different planes, so that they could complete the project in case one of them crashed.
All the land art projects created For these 50 years are the result of their common creativity
Jeanne passed away In 2009, she died of complications related to a brain aneurysm.
Christo — In 2020…
Christo — In 2020…
Jeanne passed away In 2009, she died of complications related to a brain aneurysm.
Christo — In 2020…
Christo — In 2020…
"If I tell you that there’s a rainbow in the sky now, you’re not likely to say that you’ll look at it tomorrow. Christo and I cherish the phrase "only once in life …"
"If I tell you that there’s a rainbow in the sky now, you’re not likely to say that you’ll look at it tomorrow. Christo and I cherish the phrase "only once in life…"
LAST PROJECTS
2016 — "The Floating Pier" is a network of bright paths on Lake Iseo in Italy's Lombardy.
The yellow trail is 5.5 kilometers long, 3 of which are laid out along water. It was an old idea, which Christo realized seven years after Jeanne-Claude's death.
The yellow trail is 5.5 kilometers long, 3 of which are laid out along water. It was an old idea, which Christo realized seven years after Jeanne-Claude's death.
2021 — "Wrapped Arc de Triomphe" in Paris. It was realized after the death of both artists.
2021 — "Wrapped Arc de Triomphe" in Paris. It was realized after the death of both artists.
2016 — The "Floating Pier" is a network of bright paths on Lake Iseo in Italy's Lombardy.
The yellow trail is 5.5 kilometers long, 3 of which are laid out along water. It was an old idea, which Christo realized seven years after Jeanne-Claude's death.
The yellow trail is 5.5 kilometers long, 3 of which are laid out along water. It was an old idea, which Christo realized seven years after Jeanne-Claude's death.
LAST PROJECTS
"I think you have to have much more courage to create things that will disappear and not things that will stay."
All of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's land art projects were temporary in principle and did not live more than two weeks.
However, the last project conceived during the artists' lifetime, which is going to be realized in Abu Dhabi in the near future, is not temporary, but permanent. The grandiose Mastaba of 410,000 multicolored steel barrels will be the largest modern sculpture in the world.
This is how the memory of the "great packers" will remain on earth...
However, the last project conceived during the artists' lifetime, which is going to be realized in Abu Dhabi in the near future, is not temporary, but permanent. The grandiose Mastaba of 410,000 multicolored steel barrels will be the largest modern sculpture in the world.
This is how the memory of the "great packers" will remain on earth...
All of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's land art projects were temporary in principle and did not live more than two weeks.
However, the last project conceived during the artists' lifetime, which is going to be realized in Abu Dhabi in the near future, is not temporary, but permanent. The grandiose Mastaba of 410,000 multicolored steel barrels will be the largest modern sculpture in he world.
This is how the memory of the "great packers" will remain on earth...
