Wrapped Reichstag “symbol for a Germany open to the world”
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed his sorrow about the death of Christo.
Berlin (dpa) – Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed his sorrow about the death of Christo. “We mourn the loss of a great artist,” Steinmeier said on Monday. “With the wrapped Reichstag in Berlin, Christo has given us Germans a work of art that will always remain unforgettable. As a symbol of a Germany open to the world, it is etched in our hearts. Art could not look more beautiful and free.“
Christo died on Sunday at the age of 84 in New York, as his office confirmed. Together with his partner Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2009, he wrapped the Berlin Reichstag in 1995 and attracted five million visitors.
In Germany, the two presented numerous other works: Their first joint project, wrapped stacks of barrels, was realized in the port of Cologne. “The Wall” was shown in the Oberhausen Gasometer in 1999. In the same location, Christo presented “Big Air Package” in 2013, the largest interior sculpture in the world at the time.
The works of Christo and Jeanne-Claude were exclusively photographed by the German photographer Wolfgang Volz, who accompanied the artist couple for decades.