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Christo's 'Air' Concept Realized in London After 50 Years
3 May
Summary
- A discovered scale model enables a Christo design from 1968 to be realized.
- The installation, 'Package on a Ceiling,' will fill a large London gallery.
- The artwork visually represents Christo's concept of 'wrapping air'.
A monumental artwork by Christo, conceived in 1968, is set to be realized in London six years after the artist's death. "Package on a Ceiling," designed for the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, will be presented at Gagosian London. The project was delayed due to technical constraints at the time of its conception.
The realization of "Package on a Ceiling" is made possible by the recent discovery of a detailed scale model and original drawings. These materials, presumed lost, were found hidden in Christo's studio, preserved for decades. The model includes intricate details about the artwork's lighting elements.
The installation will span 16 meters long and 10 meters wide, descending to just above head height, creating a cloud-like form illuminated from within. This work distills Christo and Jeanne-Claude's practice of "wrapping" into a pure artistic gesture, applied to air and architectural space.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude were renowned for their large-scale, temporary public artworks. "Package on a Ceiling" explores their concept of "wrapping air," an intangible yet essential element. The exhibition aims to recreate Christo's vision precisely as depicted in the discovered plans.
