Topic: Christo and Jeanne-Claude (environmental installation art)

[Svevan]

I got a box set of films in the mail today. The box is called "Five Films about Christo & Jeanne-Claude," the famous environmental installation artists (wiki link here) who use giant leaves of fabric to alter the world. A lot of you may have heard about them or seen them on the news. They are most remembered for wrapping famous architecture like the Reichstag  in Berlin or the Pont Neuf bridge in France (screencap from film "Christo in Paris")...



...while in America they are well known from coast to coast for tracing 11 islands in Biscayne Bay in Miami (screencap from film "Islands").



The films in the box set show "the Christos," as they are known, conceptualizing their projects, drawing and sculpting them in miniature, trying to convince government leaders and bodies to allow them to create their work (at no cost to anyone but the Christos themselves), and putting their artwork together with the help of hundreds of paid workers. Christo is "the artist" who creates the idea and draws the art, while Jeanne-Claude is the manager, publicist, producer, and more; together they form an artistic team.

I am particularly fond of the film "Running Fence" because it was Christo's west coast project. My Art History teacher got to see the 24 mile fence firsthand herself.

Anyways, I took a bunch of screencaps because I might write a blog about these artists and the films, which are by the Maysles brothers. The only living brother, Albert Maysles, is coming to the Ashland Independent Film Festival which I attend every year. I want to share these works cause they are so damn beautiful, and I think you guys should see the movies (they're available on Netflix! two films per disc). The movies capture the movement of these artworks in a way the screencaps can't. The curtain, fence, and wrapped fabric all blow in the wind, while the surrounded islands ripple and float (there's even an underwater part of the film that gives a fish-eye view of the artwork after its completed). All of the artwork, surprisingly, makes a fair amount of noise too, as the environment swishes it around.

Running Fence:




Valley Curtain:




Pont Neuf:




Surrounded Islands:




The Maysles also famously filmed the Rolling Stones tragic Altamont concert in the movie "Gimme Shelter," and two cult films called "Salesman" and "Grey Gardens," among many other projects.

[NWR_insanolord]

Isn't he the jerk who revealed the magicians' secrets?

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Pont Neuf was in The Bourne Identity.

[Shift Key]

I didn't read this thread at all.

I'm gonna throw in a Youtube link which has Jean-Claude van Damme getting hit by a wrench instead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mBMEoT1gE

I think its for the best.

[ShyGuy]

This isn't the guy who put the flags up in Central Park is it?

And Van Damme getting hit by a wrench was awesome.

[Svevan]

This isn't the guy who put the flags up in Central Park is it?

Yes it is.

[Pale]

Hey Evan,

Would you consider these movies safe for middle schoolers?  Like, are there any nude scenes, drugs, or swearing?

My fiancee is always in search of great art movies (she teaches art to middle schoolers) but finding some that don't cross the pg-13 line is always tough.

[Svevan]

I would say these movies are generally safe for middle schoolers. There's absolutely no nudity or drug usage; I remember the film "Islands" had the word bitch in it, and the film "Christo in Paris" devotes some detail to Christo and his wife's love affair in the 50s. If any of this is too much for your lady friend's students, the best thing about each film is that the last 15 minutes or so are devoted to the artwork itself and can be shown by themselves.

I'd say rent the first disc and watch "Running Fence" and "Valley Curtain." I don't remember any swearing, and each is devoted to the idea of "is this art?" GREAT stuff for middle schoolers.

Plus each film is less than an hour long.