Until October the 3rd 2021, Parisians and tourists could admire the Arc de Triomphe wrapped according to the instructions of the famous artist Christo. The Bulgarian artist, who died in May 2020, never had the chance to see his childhood dream come true. For those who did not have the chance to visit this unique posthumous work, Booster2Success welcomes you to (re)discover it in pictures.

The triumphant wrapping of the arc

The unique meeting of contemporary and neoclassical art attracted more than 820,000 visitors in two weeks. People from all walks of life gathered to see the 25,000 square metres of silvery fabric and 3,000 metres of red rope covering the entire Arc de Triomphe.

» READ ABOUT – Team building scavenger hunt in the Arc de Triomphe district

In order to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the ephemeral beauty of the artwork, the Place de l’Etoile was pedestrianised during the three weekends following the inauguration on September the 18th. However, there was also criticism of this highly controversial art project. Many critics saw it as an alteration of French heritage.

However, history has proven us all wrong! This event was above all an opportunity to bring the Arc de Triomphe up to date and to allow a multitude of people to see the majesty of the monument.

The realisation of a youth dream

In 1962, the Bulgarian artist Christo and his wife Jeanne-Claude had the insane ambition to wrap the Arc de Triomphe. This crazy idea came to them while they were observing the monument from the window of the flat in which they used to live on Avenue Foch.

This art project was finally carried out from September 18th until October 3rd after the death of the two artists. The Arc de Triomphe was completely changed into a gift pack, as were the Pont Neuf in 1985 and the Bundestag in 1995. These two works of art attracted huge numbers of curious people and art lovers. The Pont Neuf was seen by almost 3 million people, and even then it was the subject of countless criticisms.

The Arc de Triomphe wrapped is a work that cost almost 14 million euros, but received no subsidy from the State. It was entirely self-financed. This was done exclusively through the resale of certain works by the Bulgarian artist, such as models, lithographs, and preparatory drawings. In short, the inauguration of a lifetime!

The Arc de Triomphe treasure hunt – Parc Monceau

After being on display for three weeks, the wrapped Arc de Triomphe will be dismantled little by little from Monday, October the 4th. Due to the complexity of the operations, it should last about a month. The Arc de Triomphe will be restored to its original appearance for the 11 November WWI commemorations.

If you and your colleagues did not have the opportunity to admire this magnificent monument during this ephemeral exhibition, Booster2Success invites you to its Arc de Triomphe team building game! Discover this Napoleonic creation and the famous area of the most beautiful Parisian avenue during an unusual adventure.

Divided into teams, achieve challenges and solve puzzles that will allow you to discover the most beautiful secrets of the place while strengthening the bonds. It is not necessary to have any historical or artistic knowledge to take part in this original treasure hunt. Above all, you need to be attentive, creative, and a team player!

Find other original artworks by taking part in our team building treasure hunt at the Louvre. Ideal to maintain your culture while creating strong links with your colleagues!

Photo credit: Booster2Success

Booster2Success create playful team building activities in Paris.

[CONTACT US to organize a corporate event.