Paris, after 60 years, Christo and Jeanne-Claude's big dream comes true: the Arc de Triomphe wrapped up

One of Christo and Jeanne-Claude ’s greatest dreams is becoming a reality: from September 18 to October 3, 2021, theArc de Triomphe de Paris, one of the symbols of the French capital, will literally be packed away. It is the couple’s new posthumous temporary work, L’Arc de Triomphe empaqueté (Projet pour Paris, Place de l’Étoile-Charles de Gaulle).

Right now Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s team is making the work according to the couple’s plan, among their first projects that was never realized, but now, a few years after both of them died (Christo in 2020 and Jeanne-Claude in 2009), the dream will come true. Three years after they met in Paris, in 1961 Christo and Jeanne-Claude planned to wrap the Arc de Triomphe; in 1962-1963 Christo made a photomontage of it and in 1988 a collage, only to take up the project again in 2017. “It will be like a living object that will come alive in the wind and reflect light. The folds will move, the surface of the monument will become sensual. People will feel like touching the Arc de Triomphe,” the artist declared.

Now, sixty years after the project, the monument will be wrapped in 25 thousand square meters of recyclable blue-silver polypropylene fabric and 3,000 meters of red rope of the same material. Citizens and tourists will thus be able to admire the great work of “wrapping” the famous couple for sixteen days. This is a completely self-financed project. Also satisfied is the Centre des Monuments nationaux, which guarantees the preservation of the monument: this project that has come to fruition is intended to enhance one of Paris’ iconic monuments.

The monument will remain accessible to the public for the duration of the temporary work.

Paris, after 60 years, Christo and Jeanne-Claude's big dream comes true: the Arc de Triomphe wrapped up

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.