Christo & Jeanne Claude (1935-2020) (after) - "Surrounded Islands, 1982"

- Authorized offset poster on heavyweight smooth satin paper (250 gsm approx.) about a preparatory drawing for Christo's spectacular installation in Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida, in 1983.

- Copyright Christo. 1982

- Stamp on verso.

- Size: 99 x 63,5cm.

- Discontinued item. Closed edition, available only in the secondary market (auctions, resellers, galleries, etc.)

- Condition: very good, Never framed, never exposed. Light signs of storage in areas near the edges, not visible once framed.

- Christo, born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff on June 13, 1935, in Gabrovo, Bulgaria, was an artist renowned for his large-scale environmental installations. Alongside his wife and artistic partner, Jeanne-Claude (1935-2009), Christo created monumental works that often involved wrapping buildings, bridges, and natural landmarks in fabric.

Christo studied at the Sofia Academy of Fine Arts before moving to Prague, then Vienna, and eventually settling in Paris, where he met Jeanne-Claude. The couple later moved to New York City. Their collaborations, which began in the late 1950s, involved temporary, site-specific installations that transformed the way people perceive space and the environment.

Some of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's most famous projects include:

- "Wrapped Reichstag" (1995): The German parliament building in Berlin was wrapped in fabric, creating a striking visual transformation.
- "The Gates" (2005): This installation in New York City's Central Park consisted of 7,503 gates with free-flowing fabric, inviting viewers to walk through a saffron-colored pathway.
- "The Floating Piers" (2016): A temporary installation on Italy's Lake Iseo, featuring floating walkways covered in bright fabric, allowing visitors to walk on water.
- "Surrounded Islands" (1982). This ambitious project involved surrounding eleven islands in Miami's Biscayne Bay with 6.5 million square feet of floating pink polypropylene fabric. The preparation for the project took three years, involving a large team of workers and overcoming numerous logistical and environmental challenges. The fabric was cut and sewn to follow the contours of the islands, creating a striking visual contrast with the blue water and the green vegetation of the islands.
Surrounded Islands was on display for two weeks in May 1983, drawing widespread public attention and critical acclaim. The project highlighted the delicate relationship between human activity and the natural environment, encouraging viewers to see familiar landscapes in new and unexpected ways.

The market for Christo's preparatory works, drawings, and models is robust, reflecting his significant influence in the art world. His pieces have fetched high prices at auctions; for example, "Over the River" (Project for Arkansas River, State of Colorado) was sold for $3.2 million at a famous auction house in 2011.

Christo's legacy endures through his innovative approach to art and his ability to create profound, temporary transformations of familiar landscapes. His works continue to be celebrated for their scale, ambition, and the unique experiences they provide.

Artists of similar importance: Hockney, Lichtenstein, Warhol, Banksy, Brainwash, Delaunay, Nara, Soulages, Lagasse, Ramos, Coa, Dior, Vuitton, Miró, Lautrec, Klimt, Matisse, Hirst, Chagall, Koons, Haring, Indiana, Mondrian, Groening, Richter, Monroe, Herrera, Laurent, Klein, Kusama, Murakami, Testa, Villemot, Oldenburg, Hopper, Ripolles, Wesselmann, Magritte, Jenk, Orlinski, Wille, Rizzi, Manara, Thiebaud, Kaws, Valentino, Cappiello, Rothko, Dalí, among others.