An unprecedented installation by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, titled "Air Package on a Ceiling," is being exhibited for the first time at Gagosian's Grosvenor Hill space in London, opening May 21, 2026. The work was originally conceived in 1968 for the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia but never realized due to technical constraints. It was rediscovered in 2018 when Lorenza Giovanelli, Christo's former studio manager, found a detailed scale model hidden inside a pedestal. The exhibition also includes early works such as "Wrapped Automobile—Volvo, Model PV-544" (1981), not seen in thirty years, alongside preparatory drawings and collages.
This exhibition matters because it brings to light a long-lost project from the early career of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, offering new insight into their artistic evolution from small-scale wrapped air experiments to monumental environmental interventions. The rediscovery and realization of "Air Package on a Ceiling" demonstrate how archival finds can expand the historical record of major artists. The show also coincides with a second Christo exhibition at Gagosian's Burlington Arcade location, reinforcing London as a key venue for revisiting the couple's legacy.