June 1 (UPI) — Christo, the Bulgarian-born artist best known for wrapping world landmarks, has died of natural causes, according to his office.
The 84-year-old artist born Christo Vladimirov Javacheff died Sunday at his home in New York City, read a statement published to his official social media accounts.
“Christo lived his life to the fullest, not only dreaming up what seemed impossible but realizing it,” the statement read.
Christo worked with his wife, Jeanne-Claude, creating whimsical larger-than-life artworks and together wrapped the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris and the Reichstag building in Berlin as well as created The Gates in New York’s Central Park, which was 23 miles of vinyl gates displayed in the famous park in 2005.
“Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories,” the statement read.
The pair were born on the same day, June 13, 1935, but he in Bulgaria and she in Casablanca, according to their website.
They met in Paris in October 1958 and worked together until Jeanne-Claude died at the age of 74 in November 2009.
Christo’s temporary artwork L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped is scheduled to be on display from Sept. 18 to Oct. 3, 2021, in Paris, in accordance with his wishes, the statement said.
“Christo and Jeanne-Claude have always made clear that their artworks in progress be continued after their deaths,” it read.
