Paris is currently admiring the final work planned by the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, both of whom are now dead. The Arc de Triomphe has been wrapped in a specially woven fabric and the work will be on display for a fortnight.
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| The Arc de Triomphe in the process of being wrapped. (Photo courtesy of Wendy van der Beek). |
The pair are much admired in France and the work has received a good deal of fanfare. American tourists, on the other hand, are mostly unimpressed. They want the monument they have in their guide books back, and have barely heard of Christo.
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| The bridge in Preuilly wrapped in 1985. |
One of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's previous projects in Paris involved wrapping the Pont Neuf, in 1985. Much to my amusement, I discovered recently that Preuilly sur Claise got in on the act and created a copycat version. Our own Pont Neuf was wrapped in pink as a sort of publicity stunt.
Australians may remember that one of the couple's early works was Wrapped Coast, where they wrapped the coast at Little Bay in Sydney Harbour in 1969.
4 comments:
Your photo reminds me of the look that goes with sandblasting a stone building/monument. As to 'ART' I am unsure.
NOT art in my view. Totally idiotic and equally pointless.
I agree with Potty and Colin and Elizabeth and ask how much this stupidity cost that could have fed a number of hungry people somewhere in the world. I’m glad that both Cristo and Jeanne-Claude are dead, so we’ll be spared their art. Let’s hope there won’t be any copy cat!
Is it art when I wrap a package?
Well, I agree with the chorus. Even though I am an american, I have been familiar with Christo's "work" for very many years, and I just don't get it. Lots of plastic waste and landfill pollution (maybe all of that stuff is recyclable) and why is it interesting? I am probably just not cool enough to understand.
bonnie in provence
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