Christo

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Christo

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Christo , 1935-, Bulgarian-American artist, b. Gabrovo as Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, studied Sofia, Vienna, and Paris. His early experiments in assemblage led to his trademark device of wrapping familiar objects in cloth and other materials, giving them an artificial skin that simultaneously conceals, reveals, and transforms them. Since 1958 he has worked with his wife and artistic partner, Jeanne-Claude (de Guillebon), 1935-, b. Casablanca, studied Univ. of Tunis. The two met in Paris and moved to New York City in 1964. A leading figure in conceptual art, Christo, in collaboration with Jeanne-Claude, has specialized in large-scale temporary outdoor installations. Running Fence (1976), a shimmering fabric curtain, was strung more than 24 mi (39 km) across the rolling N California landscape. Other projects have included surrounding 11 islands in Florida's Biscayne Bay with floating hot-pink fabric (1983), wrapping the Pont Neuf in Paris (1985), concurrent installations of thousands of 20-ft (6-m) tall umbrellas—blue near Tokyo and yellow near Los Angeles (1991), and wrapping Berlin's Reichstag in silvery fabric (1995). On the paths and natural contours of New York City's Central Park the two created (2005) The Gates, a meandering installation of 7,500 saffron-hued rectangular vinyl gates. Each was 16-ft (5-m) tall and hung, to about halfway down, with a pleated nylon panel colored to match, which blew with the wind and shifted color with the changing light.

Bibliography: See dual biography by B. Chernow (2002); studies by D. Laporte (1986), J. Schellmann and J. Benecke (1988), M. Vaizey (1990), and J. Baal-Teshuva (1995); D. and A. Maysles, dir., documentary films: Christo's Valley Curtain (1974), Running Fence (1978), Islands (1986), Christo in Paris (1990), and Umbrellas (1995).

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Christo

The Oxford Dictionary of Art | 2004 | | © The Oxford Dictionary of Art 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Christo ( Christo Javacheff) (b Gabrovo, 13 June 1935). Bulgarian-born sculptor and experimental artist who settled in New York in 1964 and became an American citizen in 1973. After brief periods in Prague, Vienna (where he studied sculpture with Wotruba), and Geneva, he moved to Paris, where he lived from 1958 to 1964. Initially he earned his living there as a portrait painter, but soon after his arrival he invented ‘empaquetage’ (packaging), a form of expression he has made his own and for which he has become world-famous. It consists of wrapping objects in materials such as canvas or semi-transparent plastic and dubbing the result art. He began with small objects such as paint tins from his studio (in this he had been anticipated by Man Ray), but they increased in size through trees and motor cars to buildings and sections of landscape. He spends a great deal of time and effort negotiating permission to carry out such work and in planning the operations, which can involve teams of professional rock climbers as well as construction workers. He finances such massive enterprises through the sale of his smaller works. The buildings that he has succeeded in wrapping include the Pont Neuf in Paris (1985, after nine years of negotiations), and the Reichstag in Berlin (1995). Among the landscape projects he has carried out is Running Fence, something like a fabric equivalent of the Great Wall of China, undulating through 38 km (24 miles) of Sonoma and Marin Counties, California (1976). Christo says of his work: ‘You can say it's about displacement. Basically even today I am a displaced person, and that is why I make art that does not last…Unlike steel, or stone, or wood, the fabric catches the physicality of the wind, the sun. They are refreshing. And then they are quickly gone.’ Christo's wife Jeanne-Claude (née de Guillebon) (1935– ) collaborates with him in his work.

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IAN CHILVERS. "Christo." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 8 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Christo

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists | 2003 | | © The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists 2003, originally published by Oxford University Press 2003. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Christo ( Christo Javacheff) (1935– ). Bulgarian-born sculptor and experimental artist who settled in New York in 1964 and became an American citizen in 1973. After brief periods in Prague, Vienna (where he studied sculpture with Wotruba), and Geneva, he moved to Paris, where he lived from 1958 to 1964. Initially he earned his living there as a portrait painter, but soon after his arrival he invented empaquetage (packaging), a form of expression he has made his own and for which he has become world-famous. It consists of wrapping objects in materials such as canvas or semi-transparent plastic and dubbing the result art. He began with small objects such as paint tins from his studio (in this he had been anticipated by Man Ray), but they increased in size through trees and motor cars to buildings and sections of landscape. He spends a great deal of time and effort negotiating permission to carry out such work and in planning the operations, which can involve teams of professional rock-climbers as well as construction workers. He finances such massive enterprises through the sale of his smaller works. The buildings that he has succeeded in wrapping include the Pont Neuf in Paris (1985, after nine years of negotiations), and the Reichstag in Berlin (1995). Among the landscape projects he has carried out is Running Fence (1976), something like a fabric equivalent of the Great Wall of China, undulating through 39 km (24 miles) of Sonoma and Marin Counties, California. Christo says of his work: ‘You can say it's about displacement. Basically even today I am a displaced person, and that is why I make art that does not last…Unlike steel, or stone, or wood, the fabric catches the physicality of the wind, the sun. They are refreshing. And then they are quickly gone.’ Christo's wife, Jeanne-Claude (née de Guillebon) (1935– ), collaborates with him.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Free Article Christo and Jeanne-Claude.(Critical essay)
Magazine article from: ChildArt; 4/1/2008
Free Article Christo, Jeanne-Claude: Patient and passionate
News Wire article from: AP Worldstream; 10/3/2008
Free Article Kristie A. Christo, 87.(DEATHS)
Newspaper article from: Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA); 2/24/2009

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Christo's persistence pays off at Nebraska
News Wire article from: University Wire; 10/28/1998; ; 700+ words ; ...LINCOLN, Neb. -- Don't think Monte Christo hasn't pondered throwing in the towel...five years ago. A senior quarterback, Christo has spent more time with the trainers...attempted a pass until this season. But Christo wouldn't let himself quit. Not after...
Christo Wiese: Registrar of Banks.
News Wire article from: Africa News Service; 3/16/2002; 700+ words ; ...s pick up now with the Registrar of Banks, Christo Wiese, who joins us. Christo, you've had a busy couple of days, no doubt. How big was this run on BoE? CHRISTO WIESE: We thought we would not talk about the...
Christo and Jeanne-Claude.(Critical essay)
Magazine article from: ChildArt; 4/1/2008; ; 700+ words ; Christo and Jeanne-Claude are artists who work...installed, typically after about two weeks. Christo and Jeanne-Claude choose part of an environment...for a name by which to call their art, Christo and Jeanne-Claude would be comfortable...
CHRISTO'S NO LONGER SILENT PARTNER; Wife Jeanne-Claude Completes The Picture, and His Sentences
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 6/25/1995; ; 700+ words ; Christo is waxing poetic on art, on the sensibility of displaced persons...photographer is making great efforts to take a photo only of you. Christo wants to say something." Christo: "Yeah. The artist. Christo. Jeanne-Claude. . . . " Jeanne...
`Christo': It's a Wrap
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 7/26/1991; ; 700+ words ; CHRISTO JAVACHEFF states his case simply. "All...is 1975. The artist, known simply as Christo, is talking about Paris's historic bridge...completely - in golden polyamide fabric. In "Christo in Paris," a stirring documentary, filmmakers...
Christo's Deutsche Mark; Artist Gets Go-Ahead To Wrap the Reichstag
Newspaper article from: The Washington Post; 2/26/1994; ; 700+ words ; ...promoting and cajoling, the artist Christo finally received permission today from...Reichstag can also be the subject of art," Christo said after the vote, offering words of...not at all certain, is quite a coup for Christo, known for unusual outdoor art projects...
Christo wraps a doghouse; Bulgarian artist honors an old artist friend, Charles Schulz.(BAY AREA)
Newspaper article from: San Francisco Chronicle; 10/11/2003; ; 700+ words ; ...It's also a nod from one artist, Christo, to another, the late "Peanuts" cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. Christo's tribute sculpture -- "Wrapped...In 1978, the cartoonist memorialized Christo's work in his daily strip, with the...
Christo Wiese: Registrar of Banks, Reserve Bank.
News Wire article from: Africa News Service; 4/24/2002; 700+ words ; Apr 23, 2002 Christo Wiese, the Registrar of Banks, man in the hot seat in...Thanks to Bruce Whitfield from Moneyweb and welcome to Christo Wiese, the Registrar of Banks. Christo, just going back to the BoE bale-out - now that Nedcor...
Van Christo Radio Theatre Collection of Old-Time Radio Programs Donated To Special Collections Department of Mugar Library at Boston University.
PR Newswire; 9/9/1999; 700+ words ; ...Former Boston Advertising Executive Van Christo recently donated his Van Christo Radio Theatre collection of over 2,000 Old...WBUR 90.9 FM, in the Greater Boston area, Van Christo Radio Theatre rebroadcast radio shows such as...
Christo's right-hand man; Art collector's work on 'Running Fence' led to quarter-century collaboration.(DAILY DATEBOOK)
Newspaper article from: San Francisco Chronicle; 8/28/2001; ; 700+ words ; ...It was just awesome," Golden says of Christo's "Running Fence," the landmark 24...weeks, but Golden has been immersed in Christo's world ever since. A Sonoma County...broker, Golden lobbied to get the permits Christo and his wife and collaborator Jeanne...
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Christo. (Image by Andy Carvin)

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