christo's big air package opens in germany
Mar 19, 2013
image © wolfgang volz
all images courtesy of christo and jeanne claude
big air package
gasometer oberhausen, germany
on view now through 30 december 2013
in his first major public work since the death of his partner jeanne-claude in 2009, christo's 'big air package' is already reported to be both the
largest ever inflated frameless envelope and the most expansive indoor sculpture ever created. while the artist typically works at the monumental
scale of the city or building, the 90 meter high inflatable boasts a volume of 177,000 cubic meters and uses 20,350 square meters of semitransparent
polyester fabric as well as 4,500 meters of rope. despite lacking a skeleton, the 5 ton form fills the interior of a former gas tank, amplifying the ethereal
quality of the space with diffused light. christo describes the experience as 'virtually swimming in light' as a result of the vast expanses of fabric.
view from the top of the tank
image © wolfgang volz
shape, material and light engulf the viewers
image © wolfgang volz
visitors are dwarfed by the vast field of fabric
image © wolfgang volz
image © wolfgang volz
light graduates over interior surfaces
image © wolfgang volz
the diffused day creates a gradient
image © wolfgang volz
view up from the bottom
image © wolfgang volz
hoisting the inflatable
image © wolfgang volz
image © wolfgang volz
image © wolfgang volz
material was lifted 90 meters high
image © wolfgang volz
image © wolfgang volz
image © wolfgang volz
image © wolfgang volz
seams are check and moved before inflation
image © wolfgang volz
repairs are made on site
image © wolfgang volz
construction view of seam checks and repairs
image © wolfgang volz
image © andré grossmann
proposed light compositions accompany architectural plans
image © andré grossmann
image © andré grossmann
drawings articulate the frameless intention and monumental scale
image © andré grossmann