The posthumous work of the artist Christo will be visible from September 18 to October 3 after two postponements.
The Arc de Triomphe will be adorned with its most beautiful dress. This explains the presence of cranes and scaffolding for a few days on the Place de l’Étoile. The monument will not be restored but will receive a work by Christo: a recyclable blue fabric will cover the monument as well as two red ropes.
Already in 1985, a packaging of Christo had seen the light of day on the Pont-Neuf. In 1995, the Reichstag in Berlin hosted the artist. After four years of preparation and two postponements, the Arc de Triomphe will finally receive this new work, a realization for Vladimir Yakachev, the nephew of the Bulgarian artist. Indeed, Christo died on May 31, 2020 without having had the time to realize one of his most beautiful dreams.
“This project is what he wanted, it’s not just me, it’s a whole team. Some of us worked with him, I worked with Christian Jacob for 30 years, Wolfgang, the photographer, worked with him for 50 years. It is a great team which is present and motivated to finish this project “, reacted Vladimir Yakachev at the microphone of BFM Paris.
Budget of 14 million euros
“We are going to add a page of history to the Arc de Triomphe. It will be a moment of celebration out of time, an ephemeral, elegant work”, declared Bruno Cordeau, the administrator of the Arc de Triomphe. .
In total, nearly 25,000 meters of canvas and 3,000 meters of ropes will wrap the famous Parisian monument. Work that began the day after July 14, and everything must disappear before the commemoration ceremonies of November 11. The packaging will be visible from September 18 to October 3, 2021. In total, the work required a budget of 14 million euros.
