Photo: Helen Hotson/YouTube

Watch One of Paris' Most Famous Attractions Be Wrapped Entirely in Silver Fabric

Paris News Art + Architecture
by Morgane Croissant Olivia Harden Jun 14, 2021

After being delayed for more than a year due to the pandemic, the much-anticipated art installation “L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped” is finally visible in Paris.

Before his passing in May 2020, internationally famous artist Christo had plans to wrap the arch, one of Paris’ most iconic monuments, in 270,000 square feet of silvery blue recyclable fabric and 23,000 feet of red rope. Christo’s vision has finally come to life.

As of September 12, 2021, the Arc de Triomphe has been entirely wrapped thanks to a crew of 95 steeplejacks.

The piece was first conceived by Christo in 1961 when he lived in Paris with his late wife, Jeanne Claude. The art installation will be displayed for 16 days, from Saturday, September 18 to Sunday, October 3.

Tickets are available for purchase for 16 euros (about $19) to see the artwork up close.

This isn’t Christo’s only example of large-scale wrapping. He previously wrapped Berlin’s Reichstag and Paris’ Pont-Neuf. He’s also the artist behind the 7,000 oil drums that floated around Hyde Park in London in June 2018.

A version of this article was previously published on July 14, 2021, and was updated on September 13, 2021, with more information.

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