Paris’ Iconic Arc de Triomphe Gets Wrapped in Shimmering Fabric

Arc de Triomphe Wrapped by Arists Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Photo: Benjamin Loyseau

Late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude had a life-long dream of wrapping the Arc de Triomphe in fabric, with the hope that visitors would be able to freely experience their work—in this case by feeling the fabric that covers the monument. Now, their dreams have posthumously come true. Introducing L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped—an installation that temporarily wraps the iconic Arc de Triomphe monument with massive sheets of shimmering fabric tied together with red rope.

Though Christo had wrapped buildings for six decades, he only began developing the plan for this recent project in 2017. The COVID-19 pandemic and environmental concerns over nesting kestrel falcons delayed its opening until after his passing in May 2020. The installation team, including project director Vladimir Yavachev, carried on the beliefs of Christo and of his partner Jean-Claude for L’Arc de Triomphe Wrapped, including the idea of accessibility.

Fabric Coming Down to Cover the Arc de Triomphe Wrapped by Arists Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Photo: Benjamin Loyseau

“Early on 18 September, once we have finished adding all the ropes and the final details, the fences will be removed to allow the public to come, see and touch the artwork for free,” describes Yavachev. “Making their art accessible to everyone was always essential to Christo and Jeanne-Claude.”

This temporary installation officially opened on September 18, and the monument will remain wrapped for 16 days. In order for pedestrians to interact with the fabric, the Place Charles de Gaulle intersection will temporarily be turned into a car-free area.

You can find more work by Christo and Jeanne-Claude on our tribute to Christo where we remember our favorite large-scale environmental installations including earlier wrapped projects, “the gates” of Central Park, and more.

Late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrap Paris' iconic Arc de Triomphe with shimmering fabric that transforms the landmark into something new for 16 days.

Arc de Triomphe Wrapped by Arists Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Photo: Wolfgang Volz

Visitors will be able to approach and touch the fabric—true to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's mission to allow their art to be fully accessible and experiential.

Arc de Triomphe Wrapped by Arists Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Photo: Lubri

Arc de Triomphe Wrapped by Arists Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Photo: Matthias Koddenberg

Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
h/t: [Dezeen]

Related Articles:

RIP Christo: Pay Tribute to a Pioneer of Large-Scale Environmental Installations

Paris’ Iconic Champs-Élysées Is Getting Redesigned as an “Extraordinary Garden”

5 Rock-Solid Facts About Paris' Amazing Arc de Triomphe

Paris Is Transformed Into a Cotton-Candy Wonderland in Surreal ‘Infrachroma' Photos

Paris Was Rebuilt: How Baron Haussmann Created the Metropolis We Know Today

Samantha Pires

Sam Pires is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She is also a freelance architectural designer. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from NJIT and is currently earning a Master in Architecture II from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Sam has design experience at multiple renowned architecture firms such as Gensler and Bjarke Ingels Group. She believes architecture should be more accessible to everyone and uses writing to tell unexpected stories about the built environment. You can connect with her online at @sampir.fi.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.

Sponsored Content