Interestingly, most of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's unrealized projects never saw the light of day because they were denied permission. However, far from being abandoned, they became works brought to life through models and drawings. For them, the process was the work of art itself: from the first sketch to public debates, from engineering studies to political negotiations.
Each project, whether wrapping a monument, building a mastaba, or covering walkways with fabric, was conceived with unique precision and intensity. All their interventions were pursued with intense devotion, whether built or not.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Wrapped monument to Cristobal Colon (Project for Barcelona-Passeig de Colom, Plaça Porta de la Pau), 1975. Graphite, charcoal, cardboard, fabric, and thread on paper. 72 × 56.5 × 4 cm (28 ⅜ × 22 ¼ × 1 ⅝ inches) (framed). Courtesy by Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation / Prats Nogueras Blanchard Barcelona/Madrid.
For Christo and Jeanne-Claude, unrealized did not mean incomplete: the idea was already a form. As acts of radical imagination, these projects endure over time, defying conventional definitions of sculpture and permanence. Without having been built, these projects exist, with clarity, conviction, and presence.
“All our projects involve areas, whether urban or rural, where people live. Jeanne-Claude and I have always been interested in the space that people use. We’ve always said it was wonderful to lend us the spaces that belonged to others.”
Christo.
