Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Three works in progess : Wrapped Reichstag, project for Berlin, The gates, project for Central Park, New York, Over the ... for western U.S.A : 8 March - 29 April, 1995

by Christo

In the summer of 1995, the Reichstag building in Berlin was transformed into an immense sculptural experience by Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude along with a team of hundreds. Wrapping historic structures in silvery fabric and blue cable has become a famous tradition for Christo and landscape projects in the USA, Japan, and Australia and urban projects such as the Pont Neuf in Paris have established them as the most extraordinary artist couple of the age. This in-depth survey of their unusual work is illustrated with absorbing photographs by Wolfgang Volz.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Bulgarian artist known for his large-scale outdoor works in collaboration with his wife Jeanne-Claude.

Reviews

[Teodora Penkova · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Our projects are not something out of fantasy. Fantasy is what we find in the cinema and the theatre, our imaginative notion of things. But when we feel the real wind, the real sun, the real river, the mountain, the roads - this is reality, and we use it in our work. Our projects carry that reality.”

“Christo and Jeanne-Claude do not work for financial gain or to leave permanent monument to their egos. Just as parents work unselfishly to provide for their children, the artists work to finance their projects. Their expenses and long days of work are repaid only in the joy and beauty they derive from seeing their projects realized.”

“All our projects have a very strong nomadic quality, like the nomadic tribes that build their tents, by using this vulnerable material, there is a greater urgency to be seen-because tomorrow it will be gone... nobody can buy these projects, nobody can own them, nobody can commercialize them, nobody can charge tickets to see them, even ourselves, we do not own there works. Our work is about freedom. Freedom is the enemy of possession, and possession is the equal of performance. This is why the work cannot stay.”

[Jose gonzalezcabrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Most art comes in the form of blockbuster exhibitions, which are little better than Disneyland. Our projects are one-in-a-lifetime experiences. They are about freedom. Our bourgeois society has the notion of art as merchandise available only to limited audiences. With our art you do not need tickets to see it. "
"Our projects are not something out of fantasy. Fantasy is what we find in the cinema and the theatre, our imaginative notion of things. But when we feel the real wind, the real sun, the real river, the mountain, the roads - this is reality, and we use it in our work. Our projects carry that reality"

Christo

[Alison Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A stunning Taschen art book. For full review please go to http://thebooksmithblog.wordpress.com

[Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative and picturesque book about the work of these artists who have changed the definition of art with their ambitious and original installations. Loved it.