arts. writing. culture.

It was announced today that 74-year old artist Jeanne-Claude has past away due to brain aneurysm complications. The environmental artist became famous creating temporary works of art throughout the world with her husband, Christo. Their website tells the story of this couple, who met in Paris in 1958, discovering they had the same birthday, and have created work together for 51 years.

The couple is famous for their “wrapping” technique—though it was not always used in their work—of using fabric to encompass a (usually famous) landmark, whether in urban or rural environments. Their ingenuity, however, brings about a far more important result as it alters one’s perception of a certain atmosphere. There is something beautiful about the intentions of this work and about the way it is able to be shared with some many people, as they simply walk to work or experience their days. The art is physically temporary and fleeting, yet remains always in its observers’ memories.

These works took years to come to fruition—preparatory plans, materials and execution (but most especially permissions from authorities) proved time-consuming, yet the passion was in their hearts and so it came to be 20 times: Their art is more recently well-known for their New York, NY “Gates” exhibition in Central Park during which orange fabric awnings were set up throughout the park, free to catch the sunlight, reflect shadows, brighten the park’s environment and wave in the wind (26 years to complete: 1971-2005). Other projects included wrapping the Pont Neuf in Paris, France (10 years: 1975-85), Wrapped Reichstag in Berlin, Germany (25 years: 1971-1995) and many more.

During the undertaking of these vast landscapes in the execution of their works, Claude and Jeanne-Claude asked for nothing but the ability to perform their art and share it with the world. They’ve asked for no scholarships or grants and no money from marketing opportunities in order to keep their art as pure in its intentions as possible, paying for all of their projects out-of-pocket as they sell their older works and preparatory sketches.

Even in the mourning of Jeanne-Claude’s death, Christo has remained diligent in his selflessness, asking that no flowers be sent to him, but instead that all donations be sent to a charity of the donor’s choice. And as has Jeanne-Claude been selfless in her own death, by donating her body for scientific research. Christo says that he will continue their works-in-progress in honor of his wife and a memorial will be planned in her name.

From their website:

The effect lasts longer than the actual work of art. Years after every physical trace has been removed and the materials recycled, original visitors can still see and feel them in their minds when they return to the sites of the artworks.

There is no other way to describe that the feeling of that effect other than to say it is magical.

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