Christo's Wrapped Arc de Triomphe to Debut in Paris After 60-Year Wait

Christo's long-envisioned project to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in Paris will commence on 14 July 2024, with completion targeted for 18 September. The installation, conceived in 1962 by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, involves covering the monument with 25,000 square metres of metallic blue polypropylene fabric secured by 3,000 metres of red rope. Funding for the €14 million endeavor was secured through the sale of the artists' personal archive after Christo's death in 2020. A crew will work around the clock for 12 weeks to realize the piece, which faced delays due to the pandemic and earlier concerns about disturbing nesting birds. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo stated that the project honors Christo's legacy and underscores the city's commitment to contemporary art. This follows the duo's previous large-scale works, such as wrapping Berlin's Reichstag and Paris's Pont Neuf bridge.