Christo and jeanne-Claude - urban projects

The work of Christo (1935–2020) and Jeanne-Claude (1935–2009) has much in common with architecture and urban planning, and its immense impact on our perception of buildings and urban space is one of the artists’ main goals. For the first time, Christo and Jeanne-Claude – Urban Projects zooms in on Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s urban projects. Featuring preparatory drawings, collages, and models, the book presents many of the artists’ early works, some of which were never realized, such as the planned wrapping of several New York skyscrapers, as well as the spectacular large-scale projects of later years, such as the 1985 wrapping of the Pont Neuf in Paris, the 1995 wrapping of the Reichstag building in Berlin, and the 2005 installation The Gates in New York’s Central Park. In two detailed essays, the authors of this publication explore Christo's extraordinary talent for drawing and examine the artists' ambivalent approach to the urban environment, which oscillates between a powerful critique and a tribute to the liberal and democratic use of public space.