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Remembering Bulgarian-Born Christo, Artist Of Monumental Proportions

Bulgarian-born artist Christo Vladimirov Yavachev -- popularly known as Christo -- whose ephemeral, grand-scale works included wrapping Germany's Reichstag in cloth, has died of natural causes at his home in New York City at the age of 84.

The Bulgarian-born artist worked in collaboration with his wife, Jeanne-Claude, until her death in 2009. Together, the pair became world famous for their monumental works. In 1985, they used fabric to wrap the Pont Neuf in Paris and did the same to the Reichstag in Berlin in 1995. The Reichstag project alone took 24 years from concept to completion.

In accordance with Christo's wishes, a work in progress -- L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped -- is to be completed and shown to the world starting in September 2021 in Paris.
In 1972, Christo hung 6 tons of fabric hundreds of meters above Rifle Gap near the small community of Rifle, Colorado, for his Valley Curtain installation. The artwork -- which cost $750,000 -- hung for just over 24 hours before being shredded into ribbons by the wind.
1 In 1972, Christo hung 6 tons of fabric hundreds of meters above Rifle Gap near the small community of Rifle, Colorado, for his Valley Curtain installation. The artwork -- which cost $750,000 -- hung for just over 24 hours before being shredded into ribbons by the wind.
French Culture Minister Jack Lang (left) chats with Christo in Paris on September 18, 1985, during the wrapping of the Pont Neuf.
2 French Culture Minister Jack Lang (left) chats with Christo in Paris on September 18, 1985, during the wrapping of the Pont Neuf.
A view by night of the Pont Neuf in Paris, wrapped by Christo
3 A view by night of the Pont Neuf in Paris, wrapped by Christo
This 1983 photo shows Christo's environmentally themed piece titled Surrounded Islands in the process of being installed in Miami, Florida. 
4 This 1983 photo shows Christo's environmentally themed piece titled Surrounded Islands in the process of being installed in Miami, Florida. 
Climbers lower silver fabric from the main portal of the Reichstag in Berlin on June 19, 1995. "It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen: 100 rock climbers abseiling down the facade of the Reichstag, slowly unfurling this huge silvery curtain," Christo told The Guardian in 2017. "There were no cranes or machinery, just people descending in a kind of aerial ballet."
5 Climbers lower silver fabric from the main portal of the Reichstag in Berlin on June 19, 1995. "It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen: 100 rock climbers abseiling down the facade of the Reichstag, slowly unfurling this huge silvery curtain," Christo told The Guardian in 2017. "There were no cranes or machinery, just people descending in a kind of aerial ballet."
A man stands atop the remains of the Berlin Wall and looks at the wrapped Reichstag building in June 1995.
6 A man stands atop the remains of the Berlin Wall and looks at the wrapped Reichstag building in June 1995.
Sunset illuminates the German Reichstag, wrapped by Christo with silver polypropylene fabric. Christo said none of his projects was allowed to exist for more than two weeks. "If you don’t see it, you don’t see it," he told The Guardian. 
7 Sunset illuminates the German Reichstag, wrapped by Christo with silver polypropylene fabric. Christo said none of his projects was allowed to exist for more than two weeks. "If you don’t see it, you don’t see it," he told The Guardian. 
More than 1,300 giant umbrellas stand in the rice fields of the village of Jimba, some 120 kilometers north of Tokyo, in October 1991.
8 More than 1,300 giant umbrellas stand in the rice fields of the village of Jimba, some 120 kilometers north of Tokyo, in October 1991.
An assistant puts the final touches to one of 163 trees wrapped in fabric in the park of the museum of the Beyeler Foundation in Riehen, near Basel, Switzerland, in November 1998.
9 An assistant puts the final touches to one of 163 trees wrapped in fabric in the park of the museum of the Beyeler Foundation in Riehen, near Basel, Switzerland, in November 1998.
Visitors walk among the wrapped trees in Riehen, Switzerland.
10 Visitors walk among the wrapped trees in Riehen, Switzerland.
Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, discuss a drawing for their work titled Over the River: Project For The Arkansas River, Colorado, in January 2002 at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.
11 Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, discuss a drawing for their work titled Over the River: Project For The Arkansas River, Colorado, in January 2002 at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C.
An aerial view of Christo's The Gates project for Central Park in New York City in February 2005
12 An aerial view of Christo's The Gates project for Central Park in New York City in February 2005
Visitors walk under a section of The Gates in Central Park in 2005.
13 Visitors walk under a section of The Gates in Central Park in 2005.
An installation by Christo at the Lido in Venice, Italy, in August 2011, one day before the opening of the 68th annual Venice Film Festival.
14 An installation by Christo at the Lido in Venice, Italy, in August 2011, one day before the opening of the 68th annual Venice Film Festival.
A view of Mastaba by Christo, built on The Serpentine in London in June 2018. The enormous floating structure reached more than 20 meters in height and comprised 7,506 horizontally stacked barrels. It was Christo's first major public outdoor work in Britain. 
15 A view of Mastaba by Christo, built on The Serpentine in London in June 2018. The enormous floating structure reached more than 20 meters in height and comprised 7,506 horizontally stacked barrels. It was Christo's first major public outdoor work in Britain. 
An aerial view of the installation of The Floating Piers by Christo on Lake Iseo in northern Italy in June 2016. Some 200,000 floating cubes created a 3-kilometer runway that was clad in bright yellow fabric and connected the town of Sulzano to the small island of Monte Isola.
16 An aerial view of the installation of The Floating Piers by Christo on Lake Iseo in northern Italy in June 2016. Some 200,000 floating cubes created a 3-kilometer runway that was clad in bright yellow fabric and connected the town of Sulzano to the small island of Monte Isola.
Christo poses on The Floating Piers on Lake Iseo in June 2016.
17 Christo poses on The Floating Piers on Lake Iseo in June 2016.
People walk on The Floating Piers
18 People walk on The Floating Piers
Preparatory drawings and collages for L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. In accordance with Christo's wishes, the work will be completed and shown to the public in Paris from September 18-October 3, 2021.
19 Preparatory drawings and collages for L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. In accordance with Christo's wishes, the work will be completed and shown to the public in Paris from September 18-October 3, 2021.
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