Christo and Jeanne-Claude Wrap the World: The Story of Two Groundbreaking Environmental Artists
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
From Coretta Scott King Honor recipient G. Neri and acclaimed illustrator Elizabeth Haidle comes an exploration of love, art, and the gifts that two brilliant creators gave the world. Their projects made people smile or made them mad. They made people see again. When they first met, Christo was a poor refugee, and Jeanne-Claude knew nothing about art, but they were both rule-breakers and kindred spirits. Christo’s innovative creations—everyday objects wrapped to make people reconsider them—sparked Jeanne-Claude’s imagination. Thus began their lifelong partnership as husband and wife, and as artistic collaborators whose once-in-a-lifetime public installations captivated viewers and asked: What is art? Who does it belong to? And how can it help us reimagine the world around us? Accompanied by Elizabeth Haidle’s wonderfully stylish illustrations, award-winning author G. Neri takes readers through the remarkable career of a daring duo and a fascinating discussion about the nature of art itself. Realized as an imagined conversation between Christo and Jeanne-Claude, this compelling book features back matter about the couple, an author’s note, a bibliography, and a collection of fun facts about the artists and their work.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
He was a poor refugee from Eastern Europe and she was the wealthy stepdaughter of a French general, but upon meeting, Christo (1935–2020) and Jeanne-Claude (1935–2009) were each immediately drawn to the other's rebellious spirit. They soon became artistic partners, engaged in a constant conversation with each other and the world about the meaning of their art. About their material-wrapped objects, monuments, and landscapes: "People loved it or hated it. They got it or didn't. For Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the arguments only added to the art," Neri writes. Haidle's vivacious, stylized mixed-media illustrations underscore a sense of the duo's energy, inquisitiveness, and determination; the visuals, which portray background characters with varying skin tones, culminate with expansive spreads depicting the couple's remarkable, ephemeral outdoor work. It's a wonderful tribute to coupledom, collaboration, and creativity that offers conceptual thoughts about art: "When people had only two weeks to experience it, it became even more special. Was it really ever there, or was it all a dream?" A brief biography and author's note conclude. Ages 6–9.
