Paris‘ iconic L’Arc de Triomphe monument is currently being wrapped for an art project that has been 60 years in the making. L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped was the brain-child of artist couple, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who first met in Paris in 1961. The two have worked in tandem on various public art projects, including an incredible wrapping of Berlin’s Reichstag and an elaborate walkway through New York’s Central Park.
Christo was first enamored by the famous structure on the Champs-Élysées, when he rented an apartment nearby upon arriving in the city. A year later, he created a photomontage of what L’Arc de Triomphe could look like if it was indeed the building he and Jeanne-Claude would use for their dream project. Over 26 years later, Christo went a step further by revisiting this idea and created a collage of the work. Now after 60 years, the dream is finally being realized, thanks in part to the partnership of the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, coordination by the City of Paris, along with the help and the help of the Centre Pompidou. Despite the backing from these major forces, L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped is entirely self-funded by the Estate of Christo V. Javacheff, through the sales of the artists works from the 1950s and ’60s.
Sadly, the two will never be able to witness this marvelous feat, as both have passed away — Jeanne-Claude in 2009 and Christo in 2020. They have given full clearance in their will to have their team continue to work on this project past their death.
Check out the YouTube link above to see a live look at L’Arc de Triomphe undergoing the process of being wrapped in 25,000 square meters of recyclable polypropylene fabric in silvery blue, and with 3,000 meters of red rope.
Also in the news, an immaculately preserved Roman fast food bar in Pompeii is now open to the public.
