site.btaLIK Magazine Publishes English Issue Dedicated to Artistic Duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) has published an English-language version of the June issue of its LIK magazine dedicated to Bulgarian artist Christo Javacheff (1935-2020), better known simply as Christo, and his wife and collaborator Jeanne-Claude (1962-2009), who, as a tandem, are noted for their large-scale, site-specific environmental installations. This year is Christo's 90th birth anniversary.

The English-language issue of LIK has been made possible with the support of the Culture Ministry.

By the end of the year, the thematic issue will have been published in English, German and French translations.

The German-language edition was presented on December 8 at the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in Berlin, where the 30th anniversary of the wrapping of the Reichstag by the artistic duo was marked, along with Christo's birth anniversary. The Bulgarian National Gallery exhibition "The Wrapped Reichstag, Berlin (1971-1995)" was also displayed as part of a joint initiative with the Bulgarian Cultural Institute in the German capital and BTA.

In addition to marking 90 years since Christo's birth (June 13) and 30 years since the wrapping of the Reichstag in Berlin, the year 2025 has also been a time to celebrate two other art projects by the duo: the wrapping of the Pont Neuf in Paris 40 years ago and the installation "The Gates" in New York, shown 20 years back. These anniversaries are highlighted in the thematic LIK issue under the cover title "Christo and Jeanne-Claude at 90 in Eternity".

The premiere of the Bulgarian edition took place on June 25 at the newly established Christo and Jeanne-Claude Centre in Gabrovo, the hometown of Javacheff. Guests from BTA's Maksim Hall in Sofia and from the news agency's press clubs in Bulgaria and abroad also joined the event via video link. Among the authors of the edition are Evgenia Atanasova-Teneva, who has established herself as an expert on Christo's work and biography, Margarita Dorovska of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Centre, and journalist Daniel Nenchev.

Through a thematic chronology, the BTA publication traces the history of Christo Javacheff and his wife as it was reflected in the agency's news coverage over the years. Information about the beginning of their careers is difficult to find as it was usually circulating through confidential bulletins. Over the decades, however, journalists have become increasingly comfortable reporting about and commenting on the work of Jeanne-Claude and Christo. As a result, the LIK timeline includes information about some of their largest projects, including "The Gates" in New York and the wrapping of the Reichstag in Berlin and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

LIK magazine has been freely accessible since January 2024. All issues from its revival in 2022 to the present can be downloaded in electronic format from the BTA website. The English-language issue on the theme "Christo and Jeanne-Claude at 90 in Eternity" is available at the following link: https://www.bta.bg/bg/lik-magazine/67