The Center des Monuments Nationaux indicated on Tuesday that the packaging of the Arc de Triomphe, a monumental flagship project and the ultimate dream of Christo, who died on Sunday, was still scheduled for autumn 2021.

The Champs-Élysées as a prestigious posthumous playground: the packaging of the Arc de Triomphe, a monumental flagship project and the ultimate dream of Christo, who died on Sunday, is still scheduled for autumn 2021, respecting the ultimate wishes of the artist. This sassy and gigantic project 'The Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped' "continues in accordance with the wishes of the artist" of Bulgarian origin, assured the Center of National Monuments (CMN) which manages this monument, one of the most visited Paris.

Installation in July 2021

The Arc de Triomphe, whose site was launched by Napoleon 1st in 1806, has been dedicated since 1836 to perpetuate the memory of the victories of the Napoleonic Great Army and has preserved since 1921 the remains of the Unknown Soldier killed during the First World War. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Christo's project was postponed to September 18, 2021 - due to end on October 3 - exactly one year after the planned dates.

CMN President Philippe Belaval tweeted: "We will of course be keen to carry out this project to give this artist some of the immense love he devoted to Paris." "The project is maintained: its installation will begin on July 15, 2021 and its dismantling will be completed on October 31, 2021", specified Laure Martin, president of the project "the Arc de triomphe bundé". 

25,000 m2 of recyclable fabric

According to Laure Martin, "it was the wish expressed by Christo, even before the death of his wife Jeanne-Claude in 2019, that the project would be carried out if they were to die before". Its continuation of the project "was confirmed to Philippe Belaval by the Élysée Palace" which had given the green light on January 11, 2019, she added. The Pompidou Center, in close contact with the artist and his entourage from the start of the project, also confirms that "it should be done in the fall of 2021". 

Famous for his controversial and popular achievements (he also packed the Pont-Neuf in Paris and the Reichstag in Berlin), Christo died in New York at 84, without having been able to carry out this crazy new project: packaging the emblematic arch of 25,000 m2 of recyclable bluish silver polypropylene fabric and 7,000 meters of red rope.