After six decades, Christo’s vision for the Arc de Triomphe in Paris is a reality.
On Saturday, the monument, shrouded in fabric as part of the late artist’s concept for a temporary art installation L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, was officially inaugurated and is currently open to the public until October.
Visitors have already begun gathering around the arch, with some accessing the terrace of the Arc de Triomphe, which has also been draped in fabric and rope.
At the weekend, Paris’s Place de l’Etoile, where the monument is located, will be closed to vehicle traffic in order for pedestrians to see the work.
For 12 weeks, more than 1,000 workers had been installing silvery blue recyclable plastic curtains over the 50-metre arch, eventually unfurling the material over the structure.
A total of 25,000 square metres of fabric have been used, as well as 3,000 metres of red rope cinching the curtains and keeping the shape of the monument intact.
In English, the project has been titled L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, while in French it is L’Arc de Triomphe Empaquete, translated as “packaged”.
A live view of the work can be seen on YouTube:
The idea for the work was first imagined by the artist Christo in the 1960s. Born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff in Bulgaria in 1935, he escaped the Soviet Union and ended up in Paris in 1958. There, he met Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon, who would became his wife and artistic collaborator until her death in 2009.
Throughout their career, living in Paris and then New York, Christo and Jeanne-Claude became known for turning public monuments into art through the process of wrapping them in distinct fabrics and materials. In 1985, they draped Paris’s oldest bridge the Pont Neuf in fabric, and then undertook a similar project in 1985 with the German parliament building. Their installations require rigorous planning, with meticulous instructions outlined by the artists, though the works are ephemeral and are taken down after a certain timeframe.
In his final years, Christo focused on completing L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped until his death at 84 in 2020. After his death, the French government gave its consent to the Arc de Triomphe project. The artist left specific instructions on how the work would be executed, and his nephew Vladimir Yavachev served as project director for the installation, moving from New York to Paris two years ago.
The cost, totalling £12 million ($16.9m), has been sourced entirely from the proceeds of the artist’s work.
The Arc de Triomphe’s eternal flame in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier continues to be lit uninterrupted by the artwork and its set-up. The work will be on view until Sunday, October 3.
The opening of L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped proves that Christo's artistic vision transcends his death. Even today, there are still unrealised projects by the artist waiting to be fulfilled.
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Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
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The specs
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0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
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Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
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Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The burning issue
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Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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West Asia rugby, season 2017/18 - Roll of Honour
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
PLAY-OFF%20DRAW
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
