Christo and Jeanne-Claude

CHRISTO (Bulgaria, 1935) and JEANNE CLAUDE DE GUILLEBON (Morocco, 1935 – United States, 2009).
“Wrapped Coast,” 1968–1969. Little Bay, Australia.
Rare German art postcard.
Hand-signed by Christo and Jeanne-Claude.
Published by Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Cologne.
Photograph: Harry Shunk.
Copyright: Christo, 1969.
Measurements: 18 x 25 cm (frame).

The postcard up for auction depicts “Wrapped Coast,” one of the most iconic interventions from the early years of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s collaboration. Created between 1968 and 1969 in Little Bay, near Sydney, this monumental installation consisted of covering a long stretch of rocky coastline with synthetic fabric, temporarily transforming the landscape and altering the perception of its volumes, contours, and relief. The folds of the fabric, shaped by the wind and the uneven terrain, transformed the coastline into a vast sculptural surface in constant dialogue with the sea and the light.

The photograph, taken by Harry Shunk, is of particular interest as a record of a work conceived from the outset to be ephemeral. In the case of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, photographs, drawings, collages, projects, and documents associated with their interventions are of fundamental importance, as they allow for the preservation and dissemination of actions that ceased to exist physically after their dismantling. The appeal of this piece is enhanced by the handwritten signatures of both artists, visible at the top of the image—a detail particularly prized among collectors interested in the couple and the history of 20th-century conceptual and environmental art.