Christo & Jeanne Claude

French/Bulgarian/American, 1935-2020

Christo, born in Bulgaria, and Jeanne-Claude, born in Morocco, both on June 13, 1935, formed one of the most influential artist duos of the 20th century. They met in Paris in 1958 and went on to collaborate on a series of ambitious environmental works that redefined the possibilities of sculpture and public space. From the beginning, their projects challenged conventional notions of permanence and ownership in art, insisting on temporality, self-funding, and public accessibility.

Best known for their monumental, site-specific installations, Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped coastlines, monuments, and architectural icons in fabric, altering perceptions of form and environment. Major projects include Wrapped Coast (1969) in Little Bay, Sydney, and The Umbrellas (1991), which simultaneously unfolded across rural Japan and California. Another noted work, The Gates (2005), consisted of 7,503 fabric panels over walkways in New York's Central Park. Each installation was temporary by design, existing only long enough to transform viewers' experience of place and provoke dialogue about art’s role in public life.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s practice combined visual spectacle with meticulous planning and civic engagement, often taking decades to realize a single vision. Though Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009 and Christo in 2020, their projects continue to inspire through their bold reimagining of shared landscapes. Their legacy endures in the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, and their influence remains central to conversations about art, architecture, and the environment.