Commemoration of the spectacular 1995 Reichstag wrapping
Thirty years ago, Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the German Parliament building, creating a globally acclaimed work of art.
Berlin (dpa) – To mark the 30th anniversary of the spectacular wrapping of the Reichstag building in Berlin, an art installation will commemorate the extraordinary event. From 9 to 20 June, a “light wrapping” will be projected onto the west façade of the German Parliament building every evening from 9:30 pm to 1:00 am. Only days when Parliament is not in session were considered, say the organisers, because the operation of the Bundestag must not be disrupted.
Artist couple Christo (1935–2020) and Jeanne-Claude (1935–2009) received permission to wrap the Reichstag in 1995 after extensive efforts to win support. Images of the "Wrapped Reichstag" spread around the world, and the project became one of the most widely recognised art events ever. The building was completely covered in over 100,000 square metres of shimmering silver fabric, secured with 16 kilometres of rope. Between 24 June and 7 July 1995, more than five million people travelled to Berlin specifically to view the spectacular work. Thanks in part to good weather, the event developed into a kind of enormous public art festival: thousands of people gathered on the lawn in front of the Reichstag every day to picnic, take photographs and engage in conversation. 13 June would have marked the 90th birthday of the two artists – they were both born on that date in 1935.