The Pont Neuf Wrapped
The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975–1985 was a 1985 environmental artwork in which artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the Pont Neuf in fabric. Planning for the project started in 1979. The artists put a model of the project in the window of La Samartaine, a department store close to the bridge, in late 1981. Paris Mayor Jacques Chirac rejected the project in early 1982. An aide to the mayor snuck the permit approval into a pile of the mayor's papers, which he signed inadvertently in August 1984. When the mayor attempted to repeal the approval, Jeanne-Claude said she would show the press the letter as a symbol of his signature's worth, after which he dropped his case. In September 1985, the artists wrapped the bridge and its 44 streetlamps in a sandstone-colored fabric. The two-week installation attracted three million visitors.[1] Artsy described the response as "sensational".[2]
Notes
- ^ Fineberg 2004, p. 42.
- ^ Warde-Aldam, Digby (June 19, 2018). "Understanding Christo and Jeanne-Claude through 6 Pivotal Artworks". Artsy. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
Bibliography
- Baal-Teshuva, Jacob (2001). Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Taschen. ISBN 978-3-8228-5996-4.
- Chernow, Burt (2002). Christo and Jeanne-Claude: A Biography. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-28074-1.
- Fineberg, Jonathan David (2004). "The Pont Neuf Wrapped". Christo and Jeanne-Claude: On the Way to The Gates, Central Park, New York City. Yale University Press. pp. 42–43. ISBN 978-0-300-10405-9.
- Laroche-Signorile, Véronique (September 18, 2015). "Le 22 septembre 1985, Christo emballe le Pont-Neuf". Le Figaro.fr (in French). Retrieved June 2, 2020.
- Salinger, Victoria (2007). The Pont Neuf Wrapped: Framing the Bridge, Bridging the Frame (Thesis).