Christo and Jeanne-Claude's posthumous project to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in Paris has been completed and inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron. The monument is covered in 25,000 square meters of silvery blue polypropylene fabric and 3,000 meters of red rope, with the installation open to the public from September 18 to October 3, 2021. The €14 million project was entirely funded by the sale of Christo's artworks and overseen by the couple's nephew, Vladimir Yavachev, along with the Center of Monuments Nationaux.
This project matters because it fulfills a dream conceived by Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 1961, making it a poignant posthumous realization of the artist's final vision. It underscores the enduring power of large-scale, ephemeral public art to transform iconic monuments and engage audiences, while also highlighting the couple's unique artistic legacy and their deep connection to Paris, where they first met and launched their careers. The work also demonstrates how ambitious art projects can be funded entirely through private means, without public subsidies.