Cristo

I’ve often claimed that we’re not great fans of modern art – that it too often leaves us scratching our heads and wondering about what we were seeing. Over the last few years we’ve come to appreciate some modern art: outdoor sculptures and murals and paintings (and Banksy), and we’ve always liked what Cristo and Jeanne-Claude (his wife) created: “…site-specific environmental installations.” That is, they created installations that temporarily changed – in a big way – some place or building or structure. The installations remained only a few days and then they returned the place to its original condition. A favorite style for Cristo and Jeanne-Claude was to wrap huge things. Sound crazy? Yes, but they create a powerful effect.

Finally, we got to see a Cristo installation. Although he died last year (Jeanne-Claude died in 2009), Cristo’s team carried out his last project: wrapping l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Like most of Cristo’s installations, it has a short life: finished on Sept 18, it will remain in place for two weeks; fortunately for us that two weeks coincided with a visit we made to Paris this week. 

I have no doubt that some folks are scratching their heads and wondering “???” and I understand that. But we thought this was cool and interesting and beautiful and powerful. We’re glad to have seen Cristo and Jeanne-Claude’s last work.

P.S. When our son Craig saw these pictures, he asked why when he was a teenager and wrapped things with toilet paper, it was called “vandalism” but Cristo’s work is called “art.” We laughed at that!