Exactly sixty years after their first installation in Paris – a barricade of barrels denouncing the then recently erected Berlin Wall – Christo and Jeanne-Claude return, albeit posthumously, to the city where they first met. The object this time is the Arc de Triomphe, which has been wrapped in more than 25,000 square meters of recyclable polypropylene fabric colored silvery blue, and with 3 kilometers of red rope.

The idea had lain latent practically since the beginning of their artistic career, when upon arrival in the French capital Christo had rented a small room close to the Place de l’Étoile and been attracted to the colossal Napoleonic monument. At long last the project has materialized, although for only two weeks in September. The timing ensured that there would be no interference in the preparations and celebrations for Bastille Day in July and Armistice Day in November. Funding has come from the proceeds of the sale of preliminary drawings and models, thanks to the efforts of the couple’s devoted team to execute their final wishes.