Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Prints and Objects 1963-2014” is the two artists’ first major retrospective in Bulgaria. It is organized with the exclusive support of Christo. The exhibition comprises 130 original numbered editions of prints and objects by Christo and Jeanne-Claude and photographs by Wolfgang Volz of their works dating from 1963 through 2014. Christo himself has compiled the collection to present the two artists’ oeuvre around the world. It traces in exhaustive detail, both chronologically and thematically, Christo’s progress as an artist on his own and his collaboration with Jeanne-Claude, which led to some of the most remarkable projects in contemporary art: Wrapped Reichstag, The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Running Fence, The Gates, The Umbrellas, Surrounded Islands, Over The River, The Mastaba, etc. The exhibition includes a number of projects that were never realized but form an important part of the two artists’ creative thinking. As it is known, Christo and Jeanne-Claude do not accept sponsorship for their projects, which they fund entirely through the sale of preparatory drawings, most often available in various graphic techniques. Moreover, the large-scale projects are temporary and are recorded only in preliminary sketches and photographs. That is why the works that will be on view at the Sofia City Art Gallery form an important part of their work. Christo, who is turning 80 this year, personally designed the arrangement of the works in the halls of the Sofia City Art Gallery and provided most of the financing needed to organize the exhibition.

Christo: American, Bulgarian-born Christo VladimirovJavacheff, June 13, 1935, Gabrovo, of a Bulgarian industrialist family. 1953-56 Studies at the National Academy of Art, Sofia. 1958 Arrives in Paris, where he meets Jeanne-Claude. 1964 The two take permanent residence in New York City. Jeanne-Claude: American, French-born Jeanne-Claude Marie Denat, June 13, 1935, Casablanca, of a French military family. Educated in France and Switzerland. Died November 18, 2009, New York City. Major projects: Wall of Oil Barrels – The Iron Curtain, Rue Visconti, Paris, 1961-62; Air Package, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 1966; Wrapped Fountain and Wrapped Medieval Tower, Spoleto, Italy, 1968; 5,600 Cubicmeter Package, documenta IV, Kassel, 1967-68; Wrapped Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, 1968-69; Wrapped Floor and Stairway, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, 1969; Wrapped Coast, One Million Square Feet, Little Bay, Sydney, Australia, 1968-69; Wrapped Monuments, Milan, Italy, 1970; Valley Curtain, Rifle, Colorado, 1970-72; Running Fence, Sonoma and Marin Counties, California, 1972-76; Wrapped Walk Ways, Jacob Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri, 1977-78; Surrounded Islands, Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980-83; The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-85; The Umbrellas, Japan-USA, 1984-91; Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin, 1971-95; Wrapped Trees, FondationBeyeler and Berower Park, Riehen, Switzerland, 1997-98; The Wall – 13,000 Oil Barrels, Gasometer Oberhausen, Germany, 1998-99; The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005; Big Air Package, Gasometer Oberhausen, Germany, 2010-13. Works in progress: The Floating Piers, Project for Lake Iseo, Italy (2016), The Mastaba, Project for United Arab Emirates (since 1977) and Over The River, Project for the Arkansas River, State of Colorado (since 1992).

In addition, it is taking place with support from Sofia Municipality, under the patronage Mrs. YordankaFandakova, Mayor of Sofia. With support from the America for Bulgaria Foundation Partners: Goethe-Institute Bulgaria, Bulgarian National Television, Bulgarian National Radio, Idea comm, Metroreklama, Bilbord, Union of The Artists in Bulgaria * * *