Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Our own Christo and Jeanne Claude


Christo, a Bulgarian born American and his wife Jeanne Claude, a French born American who died in 2009, have been wrapping things together since the early fifties: bridges, buildings, trees, the Pont Neuf, fountains, monuments, a Roman wall.

Christo's current project is to stretch 5.9 miles of fabric panels over a 42 mile stretch of the Arkansas river. He awaits permission to manifest his project in 2014.

In 2004 Christo and Jeanne Claude created the Gates project in Central park. 7503 saffron colored panels were hung. One could walk under prayer flag like arches on a path through the park. Check out their website link above for pictures of their artworks.

And now, here in Bellows Falls, we have a Christo-like apartment building wrapped in Tyvek. ( See photo above). I forget why it was wrapped, some kind of work is being done, but people live in there behind the wrapping. At one point the entire building was wrapped but now the front and side are exposed again. It has been wrapped for months. A little bit of art in river city?

9 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Art? Yes! Why not? Fun seeing this through your artistic eyes, Suki!

Lynn Cohen said...

Strange to think of all those windows covered, not being able to look out to the light of day! How long will this building be bound up? What a landscape for a graffitti artist! Wonder if you can draw and paint on tyvek?
I think so.
I liked the Central Park art scarves! Weren't they all in orange?

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I've seen some of their other work.I wouldn'tlike to not be able tolook outside.

Unknown said...

It is very much like the art you are describing! I think they did something with umbrellas too? Or maybe that was someone else ....

I know tyvec is a necessary building material now .... But I hate seeing all of that plastic. I would hate living in an apartment wrapped in it even more. It must cast an eerie white glow over everything inside those apartments.

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

hmm interesting. Yes he did umbrellas in CA I think. It caused a death too. Falling on someone or something. I forget.

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

love Christo! but wait - Bellows Falls? my husbands beloved aunt lives in Westminster!

studio lolo said...

I can see how he sprang to mind!

I remember the umbrella installation where the wind kicked up and one of his assistants was speared to death. Egads. What we do for art!

marianne said...

This is cool!

Also love your new header better than all that snow!
Love that clear blue sky!

Hope you are doing OK dear♥

sukipoet said...

natalya if you ever come up to visit her we could meet!!