Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Barrels and the Mastaba

Exhibition and installation at the Serpentine Gallery and in the Serpentine by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

 
I saw the installation first which is a huge floating structure made of painted oil barrels in the shape of an ancient mastaba from Mesopotamia. It is stunning as it is so out of context with the area but looks beautiful. I sat and had a coffee and watched people in rented boats sail round it.
 
The exhibition in the gallery explained the work and put it in the context of the artists other work. I’d not realised that Christo and Jeanne-Claude are the artists that wrap buildings and their concept is to transform urban spaces for a short space of time. They have since moved on to structures of barrels, although sadly Jeanne-Claude dies in 2007, and this one is said to be the largest ever sculpture. It was interesting to see photographs and sketches of other barrel projects as well as models
 
Closes on 9 September 2018
 
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