Christo's first dream will be his last wish fulfilled. It was looking at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris from the window of his apartment on the adjacent Avenue Foch, in the early 1960s, when the then still unknown Bulgarian plastic artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff (Gabrovo, 1935-New York, 2020 ) first conceived the idea of “packing up” monuments or buildings that would mark his career and that, even after his death a year ago, continues to elicit both enthusiasm and rejection. Almost six decades have to pass to fulfill that first dream. And several deaths. Neither Christo nor his wife and artistic partner, Jeanne-Claude, are already alive to celebrate that vision that was posthumously finalized by the couple's nephew, Vladimir Javacheff. From this Saturday and for 16 days (and three weekends),Parisians and visitors to the French capital will be able to visit - and discuss - this great posthumous work by Christo and Jean-Claude.
PHOTO GALLERY: This has been the packaging of the Arc de Triomphe
"Posthumous testament to his artistic genius, the packaged Arc de Triomphe is a formidable gift to Parisians, the French and all art fans," said Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot at the presentation on Thursday of a project that It has had the absolute complicity of the French authorities, both political and cultural.
“Dear Christo, from the stars, thank you for having loved France so much and thank you for offering us this incredible gift.
Thank you for the genius, thank you for the madness, thank you for the poetry ”, he added together with the mayor of Paris - and a flaming socialist presidential candidate - Anne Hidalgo, accompanied by the president of the Center for National Monuments, Philippe Béval, and Javacheff himself .
Conceptually, the packaged Arc de Triomphe hardly varies from Christo's other historical "wraps", especially the German Reichstag (1995) or the Pont Neuf (1985), which was his first major fabric packaging project in the French capital. To now package the 50-meter-high monument that Napoleon ordered built in 1806 to commemorate the victories of the French Army under his command, 25,000 square meters of recyclable silver-colored polypropylene fabric with bluish reflections and 3,000 meters of red rope have been used. , common materials in Christo's work. A "temporary" project - according to Javacheff, his uncle did not like the term "ephemeral" - that has required the work of more than 1,200 people and has cost 14 million euros to be paid, like all of the Bulgarian artist,entirely through the sale of drawings and models of the Christo Foundation.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, poses before the packed Arc de Triomphe.THOMAS SAMSON / AFP
What has changed are the times: if Christo took 10 years to receive the permits to wrap the iconic bridge over the Seine river in fabric (many other projects in other parts of the world did not even receive the approval of the authorities) , with the Arc de Triomphe this process has been almost a walk, thanks to the fame acquired over decades by the artist and "the great memories of the Parisians" left by the previous project, Vladimir Javacheff explained in an interview with EL PAÍS on the eve of the presentation of the work. In fact, French President Emmanuel Macron, who is also visiting the project this Thursday, gave his approval for it "with enthusiasm" as soon as the idea was presented to him in 2018, the Elysee said in a statement.
As has been happening with each “packaging” of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the impact and interpretation of the work are different. "Christo disturbs us, upsets us, makes us talk," said Hidalgo. “There are those who like it, those who don't, but hey, in the end that is the function of art that Christo has proposed to us all his life (…) it makes us feel alive, because it generates a reaction to what we see”.
"Christo felt that he did not have to give an explanation, that each one had to interpret the works as they wanted," Javacheff said a few days ago. “The interesting thing is that people have started talking about this work when it didn't even exist, which is like discussing a painter's painting before it is even painted. Christo liked that, that people did their own interpretation, that they see it and enjoy it each in their own way. Or that he hates her, that and each one ”.
However, the question of how each work will be received is always there, project after project. "They all have a lot of symbolism, the Reichstag had it because it was the German Parliament that was burned down when the Nazis came to power," recalls Javacheff. In the case of a monument like the Arc de Triomphe, the meanings, and the memories, multiply. “It means many things to the French and to other nationalities, it was the place where the returning armies were celebrated, then it was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; It has also been used as a framework for sporting events such as the Tour or for celebrations such as when France won the World Cup. Or when the French want to protest something ”,says in reference to the national impact caused by the damage suffered by several statues of the group during one of the most violent demonstrations of the
yellow vests
, at the end of 2018. With the “packaging”, the Arc de Triomphe is back in the news.
"Now it will be a work of art, but not a static one, because the canvas makes the building move and brings sensuality to the whole, a sense of fragility ... it will be a living work of art for a few days."
There is also something else different, and definitive, about this Arc de Triomphe: there will be no more packed buildings or monuments, Javacheff confirms.
“To continue would be unethical.
This is the last packaging ”.