French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Thursday, covered with a silver-blue fabric as envisioned by the late Bulgarian artist Christo, who captivated the world with his large-scale art throughout past decades. Macron, standing on the roof of this prominent landmark in the French capital, in the presence of Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, stated, "We pay tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude (the late artist's wife). They would undoubtedly have been deeply moved... A dream has become a reality after 60 years."
The French president, who attended with his wife Brigitte, addressed Vladimir Javacheff, Christo's nephew who oversaw the project, saying, "You achieved a crazy dream, Vladimir, thank you very much." He praised the work as a "masterwork... that cost taxpayers not a penny," contributing to the nation's "radiance," and expressed gratitude for the "many hands" that enabled the project's completion.
After several weeks of work, the Arc de Triomphe was fully covered with 25,000 square meters of recyclable polypropylene fabric in a silver-blue hue, secured with 3,000 meters of red rope. The wrapping project, titled "L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped," will remain until October 3rd and received support from the Pompidou Center, as well as approval from the Paris City Hall and the Élysée Palace. It represents a realization of a "dream" that had haunted Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude.
In Paris's revival, Christo and Jeanne-Claude created a composite image in 1962 depicting the Arc de Triomphe wrapped in fabric; an idea born while they contemplated the monument from their first Parisian apartment on Avenue Foch. Christo had said during the presentation of his last project, two years before his death, "It will be like a living being pulsing in the wind and reflecting light. The folds will move, and the surface of the monument will become sensual."
The project cost 14 million euros and is entirely self-funded through the sale of original works by Christo, preparatory drawings, memorabilia, and lithographic works. Christo passed away last year in New York at the age of 84, famous for wrapping iconic landmarks in fabric, including the Pont Neuf bridge over the Seine River in Paris and the Reichstag building in Berlin.
French Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot had earlier stated that this masterpiece is a "wonderful gift for Parisians, French people, and art lovers worldwide." During a press conference, she declared, "I see this magnificent gesture as a call for freedom. Wrapping the Arc de Triomphe brings seamless changes to our space for a few days." Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo confirmed that the previous experience of wrapping the Pont Neuf bridge in 1985 was crucial in making the same decision for the Arc de Triomphe.
Hidalgo, who announced her candidacy for the French presidential elections in 2022, noted, "When the Pont Neuf was wrapped, I felt it revived Paris," praising the artist who "affected the concept of contemporary art."
However, this artwork also met with criticism. Architect Carlo Ratti, a friend of Christo, called in an article published in Le Monde on Saturday for abandoning the project "which causes waste of fabric... for environmental and intellectual reasons."
Since 1836, the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon I in 1806, has served as a site for commemorating the victories of the Grand Army of Napoleon and has housed the remains of the Unknown Soldier since 1921. The monument will remain open to visitors throughout the duration of the wrapping, and the flame of the Unknown Soldier will remain lit.
