Christ-Project: Wrapping of the triumphal arch completed

A long-awaited dream of the artist couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude has come true posthumously: The triumphal arch in Paris was covered with thousands of square meters of fabric. The campaign cost 14 million euros.

The Arc de Triomphe shines – the sun shines on the silvery fabric with which the Paris triumphal arch is covered and makes the monumental building shine. Thick red cords encircle the landmark so that the contours under the 25,000 square meters of fabric are still clearly visible. People stand in front of it, fascinated, take photos, selfies or just enjoy the work of art.

“I came specially from Munich for this,” says Dorothea Böhm. She is an absolute Christo fan. In 1985 she looked at the veiled Pont Neuf, ten years later the Reichstag in Berlin, most recently the “Floating Piers”, the orange-colored ones Jetties on Lake Iseo in Italy. “You can’t miss the triumphal arch, it just had to be. I was looking forward to it so much. And now I stand here and think of Christ and I am incredibly happy that they realized that even after his death, ”says Böhm.

Christo’s nephew did the disguise

The wrapping work lasted two months and was completed on Saturday night. Christo, who died in May 2020, still made the sketches and plans himself, his nephew has now implemented the project.

Around the Arc de Triomphe, where otherwise traffic jams, cars are forbidden this weekend and next. The people who want to look at the triumphal arch should be able to do so from every perspective.

“It’s awesome, it’s a piece of art in the middle of the city,” says Erasmus student Beatrice, who just walked around the triumphal arch and then through it. She is talking to Janeka. The Dutch woman is part of the Christo team that works around the Arc de Triomphe. Recognizable by the blue vests with the inscription “Arc de Triomphe Wrapped”, Janeka and her colleagues are the contact persons for all visitors who have questions.

14 million euros project costs

“Most of them want to know technical information: How is the building protected, how long did it take, what material is the fabric made of. How much it cost,” says Janeka. Janeka then answers 14 million euros, financed from her own resources, including the sale of Christo’s sketches and plans. “But most of them just want to talk about the artwork, and we’ll do that.”

Janeka also likes to discuss controversially. But until now she has hardly heard any negative reactions to the veiled Arc de Triomphe. Although there is criticism, especially in social media, most Parisians enjoy their veiled triumphal arch. As well as Christine and Christiane, who actually avoid the Champs-Elysée, but they have come for Christo:

“I think that’s wonderful. I saw the Pont Neuf in 1985, great – and I couldn’t wait to see the Arc,” says Christine. “It’s really great and in these times of the pandemic it brings joy and ease,” says Christiane.