Artist

Christo

Wrapped Lantern, 1964
Red metal lantern, wrapped in plastic, staples, and twine
15 ½ x 7 ¼ x 5 ⅞ in. (39.4 x 18.4 x 14.9 cm)
Signed and dated twice: 64 Christo

Christo (b. 1935)

1935
Christo Vladimirov Javacheff is born on June 13 in Gabrovo, Bulgaria.

1953-56
Studies at the Fine Arts Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria.

1956-57
Travels to Prague, Czechoslovakia.

1957
Studies at the Fine Arts Academy, Vienna, Austria.

1958
Arrives in Paris. Produces his first packages and wrapped objects. When commissioned to paint a portrait of her mother, he meets Jean-Claude, his wife and partner.

1960
Their son Cyril is born on May 11.

1961
Christo and Jean-Claude execute Stacked Oil Barrels and Dockside Packages, Cologne Harbor, 1961, their first collaboration. His first solo exhibition is held at the Galerie Haro Laukus, Cologne, Germany.

1964
Moves to New York with Jean-Claude and their son.

1968
The scale of his projects increases dramatically. Begins wrapping entire buildings and environmental features. Participates in the fourth Documenta in Kassel.

1969
Wraps the coast of Little Bay, Sydney, Australia. When completed, it is the largest single artwork ever produced up until this point.

1970
Begins working on environmental art, executing works such as Valley Curtain: Grand Hogback, Rifle, Colorado, 1970-72.

1972
Begins working with Wolfgang Volz.

1973
Becomes a U.S. Citizen.

1978
Cartoonist Charles M. Schulz draws an episode of Peanuts in which Snoopy’s doghouse is wrapped by Christo.

1979
A major exhibition of his work is organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston.

1981
The Museum Ludwig, Cologne organizes an exhibition of his work.

1984
Jean-Claude becomes a U.S. citizen.

1990
A major exhibition is held at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima, Japan.

1990s
Begins using the name “Christo and Jean-Claude” to signify the collaborative nature of their work.

1994
Jean-Claude publicly acknowledges her role in their collaboration.

1995
Wraps the Reichstag.

2004
Their work is exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

2005
The Gates opens in Central Park, New York.

2009
Jean-Claude dies of complications following a brain aneurism.

Selected Exhibitions

2007
Montrasio Arte, Milano, Italy
Galleria Tega, Pietrasanta, Italy
Guy Pieters, Saint-Paul de Vance, France

2006
Museo d'Arte Moderna, Lugano, Switzerland
Guy Pieters, Knokke, Belgium
Austin Museum of Art, Austin, Texas, USA

2005
The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005
Annely Juda Fine Art, London, England
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Canada

2004
National Academy of Design, New York, NY, USA
Galleria d'Arte Tega, Milano, Italy
Baldwin Gallery, Aspen, Colorado, USA
Pasquart Art Center, Biel/Bienne, Switzerland

2003
Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, The Netherlands
Guy Pieters Galerie, De Latemse, Belgium
Galleria Morine, Milano, Italy

2002
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, USA
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
Galleria Morine, Milano, Italy
Fundació "La Caixa", Centre Cultural Torre Vella, Salou, Spain

1999
The Wall, 13,000 Oil Barrels, Gasometer, Oberhausen, Germany

1998
Wrapped Trees, Fondation Beyeler and Berower Park, Riehen-Basel, Switzerland 1997-98

1995
Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-95
Wrapped Floors and Stairways, and Covered Windows, Museum Wurth, Kunzelsau

1992
Over the River, Project for Western USA, in progress
The Shiga Museum of Modern Art Shiga, Japan
Gallery Hyundai and Gallery Seomi Seoul, Korea

1991
Cunningham Art Museum Bakersfield, CA, USA
The Umbrellas, Japan-USA, 1984-91

1990
De Saisset Museum Santa Clara, CA, USA

1988
The Seibu Museum of Art Tokyo, Japan

1986
Bass Museum Miami Beach, FL, USA

1985
The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-85

1980
The Gates, project for Central Park, New York City, in progress
Newport Harbor Museum Newport Beach, CA, USA

1979
The Mastaba of Abu Dhabi, project for the United Arab Emirates, in progress

1978
Wrapped walkways, Loose Park, Kansas City, MO

1975
The Art Museum Princeton University, NJ, USA

1974
The Wall, wrapped Roman Wall, Via V. Veneto and Villa Borghese, Rome

1972
Wrapped Reichstag, project for Berlin, in progress

1971
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX, USA

1969
Packed Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

1968
'Packed Fountain' and 'Packed Medieval Tower', Spoleto
Two Tons of Stacked Hay, Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art
The Museum of Modern Art New York, NY, USA

1966
Air Package and Wrapped Tree, Stedelijk von Abbemuseum, Eindhoven

1962
Iron Curtain-Wall of Oil Barrels, blocking the Rue Visconti, Paris
Wrapping a Girl, London

1961
Project for the Packaging of a Public Building
Galerie Haro Lauhus Cologne, West Germany

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