Art highlight: Christos VW Beetle packaged in the new National Gallery!
Art highlight: Christos VW Beetle packaged in the new National Gallery!
Berlin, Deutschland - On June 10, 2025, the New National Gallery In Berlin a remarkable work of art: one packaged by Christo VW Beetle. This work of art, which is presented as a loan in the "Territ. Art between politics and society" collection, dates from 2014 and is a tribute to an earlier campaign by the artist couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who first covered an exhibition in Düsseldorf in 1963.
The first packaging, under the title "packaged car", only existed briefly because the owner had the shell removed on request - a decision that he later described as one of his greatest mistakes. The new edition from 2014 is a mint green VW Beetle from 1961, which was realized after the death of Jeanne-Claude. At this work of art, all liquids were removed and the vehicle was installed on rollers.
artistic ambitions and historical contexts
Christo and Jeanne-Claude pursued the goal of changing the perception of objects, including architecture and landscapes. This philosophy is not only reflected in the new inspiration for the VW Beetle, but also in the impressive light projection, which has been reminiscent of the covering of parliament in 1995 at the west facade of the Reichstag building since June 8, 2025. This light installation will be visible daily until June 20, 2025 after dark.
The original coverage of the Reichstag was a complex project for which over 100,000 square meters of fire -proof polypropylene fabric was used. In the two weeks in which the building was wrapped in silver fabric, about five million visitors attracted everyone's attention. The artists needed 15,600 meters of rope to attach the fabric railways. The approval for this campaign also proved to be lengthy: 23 years it took until Christo and Jeanne-Claude received the green light from the Bundestag, which voted on February 25, 1994 with 295 to 223 votes for the campaign.
of the legacy of the artists
Christo Vladimirov Javacheff, born in Bulgaria, and Jeanne-Claude, born in Morocco, were influential installation artists whose works are known for their monumental tributaries and large-scale landscape installations. Her joint work began in Paris at the end of the 1950s and led to numerous important projects, including "The Gates" in Central Park, "Surrounded Islands" in Florida and "The Floating Piers" on the Iseo in Italy. Even after Jeanne-Claudes death in 2009, Christo continued her joint vision, and the last big project, the covering of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, was implemented posthumously in 2021.
Although Christo died in 2020, the legacy of the artist couple continues. The current exhibition in the New National Gallery represents a valuable part of this inheritance, While the light projection is reminiscent of the covering of the Reichstag and emphasizes the importance of art in our everyday life. The image of art objects that stimulate thought and change our view of the world remains timeless and relevant.
As the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude show, art is often fleeting, but the impulses they set can be carried from generation to generation, with interest in our historical and cultural memory being alive.
For more information about the artists and their projects, Arte Concreta Interesting insights and backgrounds on the extraordinary work of Christ and Jeanne-Claude.
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