The Life and Art of Christo
Christo Vladimirov Javacheff was born in Gabrovo, Bulgaria. After studying at the Sofia Academy of Fine Arts, he traveled to Vienna, where he studied at the Vienna Fine Arts Academy before moving to Paris in 1958. He later became a United States citizen in 1973 and lived in New York City until his death. His early work included a collection of wrapped household items known as his Inventory.
Known for large-scale, site-specific environmental installations, Christo created works that often involved wrapping landmarks and landscape elements in fabric. Some of his notable projects included:
- The Wrapped Reichstag in Berlin
- The Gates in New York City's Central Park
- Running Fence in California
- The Pont Neuf Wrapped in Paris
- Big Air Package in Germany
- The London Mastaba in London
Artistic Methods and Projects
Christo's work was often characterized by the use of fabric to transform objects. He created Store Fronts, which were wooden facades resembling shop windows, and Air Packages, which were inflated research balloons. His projects frequently required years of preparation, including political negotiation and environmental approval. To finance these works, he sold his own artwork, such as preparatory drawings, collages, and scale models.
His installations were often temporary. For example, the Wrapped Coast in Australia and the Surrounded Islands in Miami were both ephemeral. In some instances, his work involved massive quantities of material, such as the 7,503 gates used in The Gates or the thousands of oil barrels used for The London Mastaba.
