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Siobhan De Bruyn
Oct 214 min read

Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Unconventional Land Artists

Art holds a very subjective meaning to different individuals, what one finds to be interesting or good art, another might find distasteful or not good enough.  Art is a difficult concept to define, but it would be agreeable to state that art is an experience created through an expression of skill or imagination. This definition does not put ‘art’ in a box and allows it to be subjective to everyone. It is easy for the public to enjoy conventional art forms that exhibit intricate skills, and in turn, it is more difficult for the same masses to appreciate unconventional art forms that do not necessarily hold any true conceptual value, but rather exist to create a positive experience.  

 

The late Christo and Jeanne-Claude, a married couple who excelled in this respect, made their art purely for the joyful experience gained by the viewer upon witnessing the grandeur of their artworks. They are most well-known for their land art and for wrapping many famous monuments around the world in different materials, for example fabric or plastic. They would most often use whatever was available to them at the time. Their goal was to uplift a space and ensure that viewers were ‘cheered up’ upon seeing the artworks. Further, they wished to enrich a space with a new perspective, potentially stating indirectly that it is prudent to change one’s perspective occasionally. A good example of this would be their installation called Surrounded Islands.  

 

In 1983, Christo and Jeanne-Claude traveled to Miami in the United States of America to begin the process of what is arguably one of their most famous works. Surrounded Islands was kick started by the layout of Miami’s Biscayne Bay and the uninhabited islands that rested in the bay, as well as the state of turmoil Miami found itself in during the 80s. Upon arrival, Christo and Jeanne-Claude drove around the bay to study where they could make a drastic yet temporary change to the landscape. Surrounded Islands consisted of eleven of the uninhabited islands in the Biscayne Bay being surrounded with 6,5 million square feet of floating pink fabric. The installation itself was very short-lived, only being on display for under a fortnight, yet it had a long-lasting positive effect on Miami itself. The beautiful ‘in real life’ composition that was created consisted of blue hues from the bay, green from the island and vivid pink reflecting from the floating woven material. Many have said that Surrounding Islands positively impacted Miami in 1983, driving the art and cultural circumstances into an international artistic sphere, ready for contemporary art.  

 

Christo himself has spoken about the process they followed to create their artworks, which consisted of two stages. The first is what he called the software period, and the second is the hardware period. The software period consisted of logistical matters and all the administrative work involved in setting up such huge artworks. They had to sketch their ideas for environmental approval and had to receive permits, to ensure they were legally ‘imposing’ on the environment. Through this process, where limitations presented themselves, their projects often took on a different form or course than initially envisioned, but this did not stop them in their tracks, as can be seen from the many wonderful and unconventional results that are well known and appreciated today. The process for Surrounded Islands took around three years wherein the curiosity and positive energy from the public also contributed to the shape which Surrounded Islands eventually took. 

 

The project of Surrounded Islands was so controversial in public opinion, that the matter found itself in the Federal Court of the United States. Fortunately, approval was granted, and they could move on to the hardware stage. The hardware stage consisted of cleaning up the islands from debris, and the actual building and construction of the installations, which naturally took months. The project was financed entirely by the artists by selling the sketches and preparatory drawings for the project, and this is the truth for many of their other works wherein they did not accept sponsorships.  

 

Christo and Jeanne-Claude are thus a prime example of the fact that art does not need to have a grandiose meaning to be impactful. It can certainly be said that conceptual meanings enlarge the value of the art; however, it is intrinsic to human nature to respond joyfully to an expression of fun and freedom. Another, perhaps more relevant example is the L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. In 2021, Paris saw an influx of visitors flocking to see what the last installation by Christo was. L’Arc de Triomphe, a well-known architectural marvel, was wrapped in silvery fabric, and tied in place with complimentary red rope. The materials used were intended to be recycled for use at future events in Paris. The fabric was up-cycled into shade structures and tents for the Paris 2024 Olympics.  

 

Thus, unconventional art can take many forms and emit many reactions. Christo and Jeanne-Claude excelled in this respect with an environmental focus, ensuring that most of their works were re-used, recycled or up-cycled afterwards. Despite them insisting that their works were never intended to hold any meaning and only be a joyful new perspective, it can be argued that there is one clear message in their works. This message is that one can find beauty anywhere if one looks hard enough. Another perhaps clearer message of theirs is to live more harmoniously with the planet that has been bestowed on humans and to respect it for the beauty it exudes.


 

Further reading for this opinion piece


 

Edited by Ilzebé Flavia du Toit & Flavia Davids

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