Photographs by Wolfgang Volz – copyright 2016 Christo
Lago d’Iseo – Christo and Jeanne-Claude – The
Floating Piers
“Those who experience The Floating Piers will feel like they
are walking on water – or perhaps the back of a whale. The light and water will
transform the bright yellow fabric to shades of red and gold throughout the
sixteen days.”
Christo
The Project. For sixteen days only, until July 3, on the Lake d’Iseo,
north of Brescia, 100,000 square meters of shimmering yellow fabric, carried by
a modular floating dock system of high-density polyethylene cubes, undulate
with the movement of the waves as Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Floating
Piers rise just above the surface of the water.
Photograph by Wolfgang Volz – copyright 2016 Christo
The Walkaway
Christo and
Jeanne-Claude – The Floating Piers
A 3-kilometer-long walkway was
created as The Floating Piers extend across the water of Lago d’Iseo. The piers
are 16 meters wide and approximately 35 centimeters high with sloping sides.
The fabric continues along 2.5 kilometers of pedestrian streets in Sulzano and
Peschiera Maraglio.
Photograph by Wolfgang Volz – copyright 2016 Christo
The Story
Christo and
Jeanne-Claude – The Floating Piers
In the spring and summer of 2014, Christo
and his team scouted the lakes of Northern Italy. Along with Project Director
Germano Celant, they found Lago d’Iseo to be the most inspiring location. Since
that time they have worked alongside experts from around the world to realize
The Floating Piers.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude
– The Floating Piers
The Floating Piers was first
conceived by Christo and Jeanne-Claude together in 1970. It is Christo’s first
large-scale project since Christo and Jeanne-Claude realized The Gates in 2005,
and since Jeanne-Claude passed away in 2009. As with all of Christo and
Jeanne-Claude’s projects, The Floating Piers is funded entirely through the
sale of Christo’s original works of art. After the 16-day exhibition, all
components will be removed and industrially recycled.