Friday, November 20, 2009
RIP: Jeanne Claude 1935-2009
Jeanne Claude was wife and artistic partner of Christo. Together they became famous for artworks involving wrapped items. Nonsense you say? Then you haven't been paying attention to what passes for modern art, e.g., Jeff Koons. MC is a fan: take objects and make them new. That's one operating definition of art we can live with.
Worthy of special applause is the couple's refusal to take corporate or other sponsors of their art, installations or exhibitions. They funded themselves because they did not want to be compromised. How very refreshing. Jeanne Claude once said: "Our art has absolutely no purpose, except to be a work of art. We do not give messages."
Click on the title of this post to read her obituary in The Telegraph (UK).
Images from bottom to top: Surrounded Islands, The Gates, Running Fence and Wrapped Reichstag (MC's personal favorite)