City College of New York Architecture Library

Christo: Selected Bibliography

“Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Two Works in Progress” Spitzer School of Architecture Lecture – October 4, 2012.

About:

Christo (Christo Vladimirov Javacheff,) and his late wife Jeanne-Claude (Jeanne-Claude Marie Denat), both born on June 13, 1935, worked together since 1961 to create large-scale outdoor works of art. While popularly known for their “wrapped” projects―requiring vast amounts of fabric―including the 1969 Wrapped Coast (Australia), the 1984 Wrapped Pont Neuf (Pais), and the 1995 Wrapped Reichstag (Berlin), the couple produced many more amazing projects over their years together. Their web site states, “What is really the common denominator is the use of fabric, cloth, textile. Fragile, sensual and temporary materials which translate the temporary character of the works of art.”

Particularly well known in the US were Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, 1972-76, crossing 14 roads with 24.5 miles of fabric; and The Umbrellas, Japan-USA,1984-91, a thousand plus large umbrellas set into the landscape in California and Ibaraki, Japan―yellow umbrellas in the US and blue in Japan. A wildly popular project was The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005. Seventy-five hundred gates with bright orange fabric panels stretched 25 miles through the park attracting throngs of locals and tourists for 16 days in 2005. Currently Christo is working on Over the River (the Arkansas River in Colorado) and The Mastaba (a project for the United Arab Emirates).

Books:

Chernow, Burt. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: a biography. St. Martin's Press, 2002. Cohen Special Collections N7193 .C5 C468 2002.

Christo. Christo. Edizioni Apollinaire, 1964. NB623.C38 A43. ______. Christo. Thames & Hudson, 1969. Cohen Library NB623.C38 A6.

______. Christo. Abrams [1972]. Cohen Library NB893.C5 B6.

______. Christo, environmental art works. U.A.E. University, 1982. Cohen Special Collections N7193 .C5 A63 1982.

______. Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Schumacher, Edition Fils, [2006?]. N7193 .C5 A634 2006.

______. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: over the river, projek für den Arkansas River, Colorado. Mitte : Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, [2002?]. Cohen Special Collections N7193 .C5 A766 2002.

______. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: the umbrellas, Japan-USA, 1984-9. Special ed. Taschen, 1998. Cohen Library Special Collections. Vols. 1 & 2 + supp. N7193 .C5 A77 1998.

______. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-95. Special ed. Taschen, 1996. Cohen stacks and in Special Collections. N7193.C5 A778 1996.

______. Christo & Jeanne-Claude: Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-1995 = wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-1995. Taschen ; New York : Christo, 1995. N 7193 .C5 A777 1995.

______. The gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005. Taschen, 2005. N7193.C5 A645 2005.

______. Christo: the Pont-Neuf, wrapped, Paris, 1975-85. Abrahms, 1990. Cohen Library Special Collections N7193 .C5 A72 1990.

______. Christo prints and objects, 1963-1987: a catalogue raisonné. Editions Schellmann ; Abbeville Press, 1988. N7193.C5 A4 1988.

______. Christo, running fence: Sonoma and Marin counties, California, 1972-1976. Abrams, 1978. Cohen Library Special Collections N7193.C5 A7433 1978.

______. Christo, surrounded islands: Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980-83. Abrams, 1986. Cohen Library Special Collections N7193 .C5 A76 1986.

______. Christo: Valley Curtain, Rifle, Colorado, 1970-72. Abrams [1973] Cohen Library N7193.C5 A43.

Fineberg, Jonathan. Christo and Jeanne-Claude: On the Way to The Gates, Central Park, New York City. (Metropolitan Museum of Art Series). Yale, 2005. On Reserve.

Vaizey, Marina. Christo. Rizzoli, 1990. N7193 .C5 V35 1990. ------These titles are available in the CCNY Architecture Library unless otherwise noted.

Articles: (Selected from 1992 - 2006)

“After the gates: Christo and Jeanne-Claude will offer a new version of Rocky Mountain high.” Landscape architecture, 2006 Aug., v.96, n.8, p.22.

“Arte come paesaggio come architettura: riflessioni sulla rottura delle linee di confine disciplinari = Art as landscape as architecture: reflections on the breakdown of the boundaries between disciplines.” Marpillero, Sandro, 1955-. Lotus international, 2006, n.128, p.[64]-75.

With a focus on two events in New York in 2005: Christo's 'The Gates' and the posthumous creation of Smithson's 'Floating Island.'

“The Gates' revisited.” Blonsky, Douglas. Landscape architecture, 2005 Aug., v.95, n.8, p.14-16.

“The Gates.” Swift, Barbara. Arcade, 2005 Summer, v.23, n.4, p.10-11.

“Flags over the greensward: in New York City, an ephemeral work of public art meets one that has stood the test of time [The Gates].” Helphand, Kenneth I.. Landscape architecture, 2005 May, v.95, n.5, p.126-135.

“Christo [e] Jeanne-Claude: [Umbrellas; Wrapped Walk Way].” Lotus international, 2000, n.106, p.[102]-103.

“Christo [e] Jeanne-Claude: [Running Fence, California; Valley Curtain, Colorado].” Lotus international, 2000, n.106, p.[124-125].

“Christo e Jeanne-Claude: il grande velo del meraviglioso = The great veil of wonder.” Restany, Pierre, 1930-2003. Domus, 1997 Feb., n.790, p.59-65.

Features two projects in the US: 'Over the River,' a project for the Arkansas River in Colorado and 'The Gates,' a project for Central Park in New York City.

“Wrapping the Reichstag.” Dawson, Layla. Architectural review, 1995 Aug., v.198, n.1182, p.11-12.

“Christo's umbrellas.” Dalton, Deborah W.. Landscape journal, 1992 Fall, v.11, n.2, p.204-207. ______Articles listed above are available in the CCNY Architecture Library.

Web Site:

Christo and Jeanne Claude: www.christojeanneclaude.net/ In-depth information on their work offering many images.

______Judy Connorton, Architecture Librarian September 2012

image: Christo with his wife, the late Jeanne-Claude. (Getty)