site.btaAll of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Art Is a Cry for Freedom, Christo’s Nephew Says

If all of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s art could be summed up in a single phrase, it would be a cry for freedom, according to Vladimir Yavachev, nephew of Christo (1935-2020), the world-famous Bulgarian-born environmental artist known for his large-scale outdoor art installations. Vladimir Yavachev was interviewed by BTA ahead of an exhibition in Sofia presenting one of the best-known projects of Christo and his wife and collaborator Jeanne-Claude (1962-2009).

Titled “Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin (1971–1995)”, the exhibition will be held at the Kvadrat 500 art gallery in Sofia from November 4, 2025, until March 22, 2026, to mark Christo’s 90th birth anniversary.

The idea behind the exhibition

The idea for the exhibition emerged after the National Gallery’s Kvadrat 500 acquired a collage of The Wrapped Reichstag, signed by Christo. The Reichstag project was the second longest in duration, taking 24 years to complete. The longest was The Gates in New York, which took 26 years, Yavachev noted.

“But during those 24 years, many other projects took place — from 1971 to 1995. There are many other works that show how these projects evolved. The public should understand that Christo and Jeanne-Claude weren’t just sitting at home waiting to wrap the Reichstag — a lot of other things were happening,” said Christo’s nephew.

He explained that The Wrapped Reichstag was the first artwork ever to be decided upon through a parliamentary debate — which placed it on a completely new political level. And, as Christo often said: “We didn’t invent the politics of the Reichstag — the politics are in the Reichstag.” Every project carries within it the identity of its location — be it environmental, political, or cultural. “That’s what makes it so wonderful,” said Yavachev. “It’s part of real life — not something artificial or invented, but something that truly belongs to its place.”

The exhibition features ten projects by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Among the exhibits is the National Gallery’s first original acquisition related to Christo’s work — The Wrapped Reichstag (Project for Berlin, 1971–1995), created in 1986 — as well as collages, photographs, video materials and archival documents tracing the long path of this remarkable project.

“Christo had no other image but his own. There was no ‘private’ Christo and ‘public’ Christo. What always defined him was that, having left totalitarian Bulgaria in the 1950s, freedom was the most important thing for him — the freedom to express oneself, and freedom in general. That’s why, if all his and Jeanne-Claude’s art could be reduced to one thing, it would be a cry for freedom. These projects were never commissioned by governments, nor funded by sponsors,” Yavachev said.

“This is my life”

According to Vladimir Yavachev, this is not just work for him — it’s his life. “I’ve worked with Christo and Jeanne-Claude for 35 years, the last five even without them. For me, it’s almost instinctive — not a job, but a calling. I try to do many things for their legacy — we organise exhibitions, mark anniversaries of different projects, and in that way keep their names alive.”

He believes it’s possible to realise large-scale projects anywhere — what matters is that an artist has the will to do so.

“For instance, there’s an artist, Michael Heizer, who creates huge projects in the middle of nowhere, in the Texas desert. But the question of scale is relative — humanity has created much bigger things. The only reason these projects seem so monumental is because they’re, in a way, pointless. They have no purpose or task except to be beautiful — to exist as something beautiful for a very short time. And that raises them to another level, because they require enormous effort, yet disappear after 14 days,” he explained.

Yavachev insists he never feels sad when such projects are dismantled. “We are so completely absorbed in the process. Usually, after two weeks of the installation and 24-hour workdays, we’re actually quite happy to bring it to a close,” he said.

Christo’s unfulfilled dreams

After Christo’s passing, Vladimir Yavachev realised one of his uncle’s dreams — the wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. “The main motivation to complete it after Christo’s death was that he truly wanted it to happen. We were already well advanced, and it would have been a sin not to finish it. In his will, Christo also asked that we complete The Mastaba and the Arc de Triomphe,” Yavachev said.

“What I missed most during L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped was watching Christo observe the project. He had such a unique way of savouring visual beauty — not only his own works but everything around him. He was so full of energy and passion for seeing art, and I missed that terribly,” he recalled.

Yavachev explained that The Mastaba is a project in progress since 1977. It takes a long time because it is meant to be a permanent installation, with construction alone expected to last three and a half to four years, not counting financing and permits. “So, in the most optimistic scenario, The Mastaba could be completed in seven to eight years,” he added.

“When you’re making a project, you must be completely immersed in it — not thinking politically, like ‘What should I do now to secure my next position?’ You must believe with everything you’ve got, give all your energy, and engage everyone willing to help. That applies not just to art, but to life itself,” said Yavachev.

The exhibition “Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin (1971–1995)” marks Christo's 90th birth anniversary. It opens on November 4 at Kvadrat 500 and runs until March 22, 2026. The exhibition also celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Wrapped Reichstag in Berlin and the 40th anniversary of The Pont Neuf Wrapped in Paris. The curator is Gergana Mihova.