Titled: The Epic Journey of Wrapping the Berlin Reichstag: A Symbol Unveiled, a Legacy Reinforced
House Vanishes, Photo Remains Captured - A residence succumbs, an image persists.
Let's chase that elusive masterpiece, shall we?
What if an artwork's birth is decided in a parliamentary debate before it even takes shape? That's exactly what happened, 30 years ago, when Christo and Jeanne-Claude brought their dream of wrapping the Berlin Reichstag to life. This artwork, witnessed by over five million spectators, symbolized the rejuvenation of a capital city five years after the Berlin Wall's fall.
The adventure spanned from June 24 to July 7, 1995, when the building was engulfed by 100,000 square meters of shimmering, silvery fabric, vanishing before our eyes. The idea was first proposed by US historian Michael Cullen to Christo as early as 1971, but it took 24 years, marked by doubts, criticism, and meticulous planning, for the now iconic "Wrapped Reichstag" to materialize.
From Power Symbol to Art Icon
In the divided Berlin, the idea faced initial pushback. It was rejected three times. Yet, the election of Rita Süssmuth as Bundestag President in 1988 and the fall of the Berlin Wall the following year started a shift.
Süssmuth, together with former Chancellor Willy Brandt, championed the project as a symbol of peace and culture—a stark contrast to the ominous image of the nation in darker times. However, powerful political figures such as Helmut Kohl, Wolfgang Schäuble, and Angela Merkel, then Minister for the Environment, criticized the art project, warning that artistic experimentation on a symbolically significant heart of German democracy could erode citizens' trust in the historical dignity of parliament and culture.
The Reichstag: A Beacon in History
Completed in 1894 in neo-renaissance style, the Reichstag stands as a powerful symbol of the seismic shifts and turning points in German history. It once served as the parliament's seat in the German Empire and later the Weimar Republic. Philipp Scheidemann declared the first German democracy from one of its balconies in 1918. In 1933, it became the scene of the authoritarian power grab after the fire set by the Nazis. Post-World War II, it stood as a war-ravaged structure in the Berlin sky, overshadowed by red Soviet flags. Four years later, during the official German reunification ceremony, people celebrated unity on its steps within plain sight of the Berlin Wall.
With a heated debate lasting 70 minutes, the Bundestag vote eventually favored the wrapping by a margin of 292 to 223, a testament to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's tireless persuasive efforts. They visited over 350 members of parliament and presented their ambitious idea to the public in schools, kindergartens, and various events.
Art Evolves with Challenge
This protracted political and organizational process, which required hundreds of climbers and workers, was merely an integral part of their art for the couple.
"The longer the struggle, the greater the impact," said Christo's nephew and project manager, Vladimir Yavachev, during a recent studio visit in New York's SoHo neighborhood. "If the permit had been granted so easily, it would never have been so politically or media-charged. That gave the project a whole new dimension."
Yavachev adds, "Christo and Jeanne-Claude primarily created their works for themselves. They didn't have a programmatic agenda; their art was about art itself. However, their conscious choice of the location determined the symbolic power of their work."
A Lasting Legacy
This year marks the 20th anniversary of "The Gates" in New York, and to celebrate Christo's legacy, Yavachev and his team are focusing on immersive experiences, rather than exact replicas. These experiences aim to preserve the spirit of sparking conversation through art, whether it is loved or hated.
"Nostalgia was foreign to them," says Yavachev. "Yet, what mattered most to them was that art in public spaces engages and intrigues. If we can maintain that, I'd be very happy."
In February and March, people could experience "The Gates" virtually via an app. This summer, the Reichstag will resurface once more: from June 9 to 20, images of the 1995 wrapping will be projected onto its western facade using high-performance projectors.
"Whether Christo would've approved of this technique, I can't say for certain. But we're not claiming it to be the real thing. It's just a new form of archiving—photography and film in the past, technology today," says Yavachev.
Plans for "real" works have been realized or are in progress since Christo's death: the wrapping of the Paris Arc de Triomphe in 2021 and a 150-meter-high pyramid of colorful barrels in Abu Dhabi, the first and likely only permanent work by the artist. So, let's all take a moment to treasure the ephemeral beauty that the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude leave behind—art pieces that leave a lasting legacy.
The proposal for the wrapping of the Berlin Reichstag, an iconic art piece, was not just an artistic endeavor but also a political one, contested in the German Bundestag's parliamentary debate and faced opposition from powerful political figures.
The ubiquitous nature of this art project, traversing from political controversy to public adoration, serves as a testament to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's commitment to art, which transcends and interweaves with every element of society, including politics.
