Two years ago, on September 18, 2021, Christo and Jeanne-Claude's L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, 1961–2021, was inaugurated. The monumental public artwork wrapped the Parisian monument in over 25,000 square meters of silvery fabric tied in place with 7,000 meters of red rope. The materials, all made out of woven polypropylene, a type of thermoplastic, are now being reused, upcycled, and recycled, following the artists’ vision. Most of the materials will be transformed to serve practical uses for future public events in Paris. The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation is also collaborating with Gagosian to bring Christo’s early works to London’s East End for an exhibition open from October 6-22, 2023.
Similar to past projects by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, all of the materials used to create the temporary artwork will be given a new life. Parley for the Oceans has started to recycle the 25,000 square meters of silvery blue fabric and the 3,000 meters of red polypropylene rope. The materials are now moving into the design and production phase, and are planned to be used as shade structures, tents, or barnums for major events in Paris, in particular for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo.
According to Cyrill Gutsch, Founder and CEO of Parley for the Oceans, the materials will also prove to be useful in humanitarian efforts as tents designed to protect human life against dangerous heat waves. The wood and steel substructures have been collected and reused by Les Charpentiers de Paris, ArcelorMittal, and Derichebourg Environnement.
A constant commitment of Christo and Jeanne-Claude was to reuse, upcycle, and recycle all materials used in their projects. We are now going to give L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped a second life with the help of our creative partners. I can think of nothing more fitting than recycling this artwork for future use in Paris, a city so influential on the lives and work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. - Vladimir Yavachev, project director of L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped
Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s early works from the 1960s and 1970s, comprising of objects wrapped in fabric or polyethylene, will be presented as part of a dedicated exhibition open from October 6-22 in London. Organized as the inaugural project in the Gagosian Open series of off-site projects, the exhibition aims to offer a glimpse into the artists’ evolution, from small-scale to large-scale, but continuing a thread of drawing attention to overlooked details by obscuring them from view.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude, both born on June 13, 1935, in Bulgaria and Morocco, respectively, were renowned artists known for their large-scale public art projects. Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009, and Christo in 2020, both in New York City, their home since 1964. They collaborated on monumental artworks like Wrapped Coast in Sydney, the London Mastaba, The Floating Piers in Italy, Surrounded Islands in Miami, and The Gates in Central Park. Their partnership began in 1961 with outdoor works, but Christo's early works were solo. Collaboratively, they focused on public projects and indoor installations, leaving an enduring legacy in the art world. Their final project, L'Arc de Triomphe Wrapped in Paris, was designed in 1961, but only realized in 2021, when it was visible for over 2 weeks between September 18, 2021, and October 3, 2021.
