Before his passing last year, the artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, known simply as Christo, had meticulously prepared his last art project, wrapping the Arc de Triomphe. Completed by his team, this work will give the Place de l'Etoile a unique aesthetic. Take advantage of your stay at the Hotel Volney to discover this extraordinary performance between September 18th and October 3rd.
Wrapping the Arc de Triomphe: a technical feat
Beyond the aesthetic message and conceptual purpose, Christo’s team will achieve a startling technical feat this September in Paris. They will require some 25,000m² of fabric and 3,000m of cord to wrap up the monument, which is 50m high and more than 45m long. Both fabric and cord are made exclusively from recyclable propylene to underline the artist's commitment to the environment. Another interesting aspect of the project is that it is entirely self-financed by the sale of derivative products and works by the artist and his late partner, Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon.
The Arc de Triomphe wrapped: a magnificent visual surprise
Over the decades, we have become accustomed to Christo’s artistic feats, such as wrapping the Biscayne Islands in the 1980s and then the Pont-Neuf, before doing the same for the Reichstag in Berlin in 1995. While some are offended or baffled, most people welcome the message, the technical prowess and the surprising aesthetic appeal. Today, the approach is no longer shocking, but the beauty of the work remains. There is no doubt that the silvery and bluish fabric tied in place around the Arc de Triomphe by the red cords will create the most stunning and lovely effect.
From your Hotel Volney, you can enjoy a magnificent stroll through Paris that will take you across the Place de la Concorde before heading up the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to discover Christo's latest work. There’s no doubt that it will contrast superbly with the classicism of the monument and the district’s Haussmann-era buildings!
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Hotel Volney Opéra, a 3-star hotel in the heart of Opéra district