L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped in Stunning Art Installation to Honor Late Artist Christo

The vision of Christo and Jeanne-Claude has come to life as the Arc de Triomphe is wrapped in silvery blue polypropylene fabric and red polypropylene rope. The monument is a symbol of French heritage and pride, and the wrapping is a reflection of the artistic vision of Christo, who passed away in 2020. The project, L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, Paris, 1961-2021, is being completed by Christo's team in partnership with the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN) and with the support of the Centre Pompidou and the City of Paris.

The installation of the artwork is a monumental undertaking with over 1000 workers contributing to its realization. The facades on the Wagram and Champs-Elysées are now entirely covered, and the entire monument will be covered by Monday, September 13th. Vladimir Yavachev, director of the project, said, "L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped begins to come alive, more visibly approaching the vision of what was a lifelong dream for Christo and Jeanne-Claude."

The project is entirely funded through the sale of original works of art by Christo, including preparatory studies and collages, models, artworks from the 1950s and 1960s, and lithographs. Like all of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's projects, it received no public funds or sponsorships. The Arc de Triomphe monument is wrapped in 25,000 square meters of recyclable silvery blue polypropylene fabric and 3,000 meters of recyclable red polypropylene rope.

The public will be able to view the artwork for free from September 18th, after the final details and ropes have been added. Christo and Jeanne-Claude's art was always about making it accessible to everyone, and this project is no exception. To ensure safety and enjoyment, the Place de l'Etoile will be pedestrianised for the three weekends of its presentation to the public. This exceptional closure to traffic of the Place Charles de Gaulle has been organised with the cooperation of the Ville de Paris and the Préfecture de Police.

Throughout the duration of L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, the interiors and the panoramic terrace of the monument, managed by the CMN, will remain open to the public. In order to preserve the integrity of the classified Historical Monument, the operations are undertaken to set up and dismantle L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped are subject to scientific and technical monitoring by Ministry of Culture teams. The Eternal Flame, in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, will continue to burn throughout set-up and dismantling, and during the display of the artwork.

The project is the result of the professional talent and craftsmanship of approximately thirty companies, including Les Charpentier de Paris, who were also the builders for the wrapping of the Pont-Neuf in 1985, Réseau Jade, a French company specialising in rope access, the German engineering and design studio Schlaich Bergermann Partner (SBP), and the German membrane engineering company Büro Für Leichtbau. Jörg Tritthardt, CEO of Büro Für Leichtbau, who previously worked on The Wrapped Reichstag, said, "Our job is to bring to life Christo’s imagination expressed in his drawings, which we did in this project, creating the fabric and the ropes based on our engineering knowledge."

In conclusion, the wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe is an artistic expression of the vision of Christo and Jeanne.


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Cover Photo ©Benjamin Loyseau - 2021 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation

All the photos ©2021 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation