The London Mastaba. A large-scale installation in the center of the British capital

/ Art /
2 days ago, residents of London, walking in Hyde Park past the Serpentine Lake, saw the result of the long-term work of the American artist Hristo - the monumental installation The London Mastaba. The project, which took 2 years to develop and implement, is the artist's first large-scale work in Britain.

In the summer of 83, the artist of Bulgarian origin Hristo Yavashev always worked together with his wife Jeanne-Claude - the couple is known to the whole world as "packers". The tandem created cyclopean installations, wrapping entire buildings in fabric, and since 2009, the artist has been working alone.

Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Christo is working on a preparatory drawing for "Mastaba" in his studio. Photo: Wolfgang Volz
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
Project sketch drawn in 2017. Pencil, wax pencil, enamel, color photograph by Wolfgang Volz. Photo: Andre Grossmann
General plan

A new work of art in the middle of London is created from more than 7 thousand specially made and tinted plastic barrels, which are placed on a floating platform. 500 m in height, 20 m in width and 30 m in length - these are the dimensions of the structure in the form of a truncated pyramid - the mastaba, the weight of which together with the metal frame is slightly more than 40 tons.

Installation installation work
Installation installation work
Installation installation work
Installation installation work
Installation installation work
Installation installation work
The site where the "London Mastaba" was erected

The artist traditionally took over the financing of the project - as is known, Christo and Jeannoi-Claude never accepted sponsorship contributions and lived only thanks to the sales of their works of art, which residents of London and guests of the British capital can see in the famous Serpentine gallery.

This is exactly what the visitors of Hyde Park saw the mounted "mastaba" on June 18, 2018
This is exactly what the visitors of Hyde Park saw the mounted "mastaba" on June 18, 2018
The composition will begin to be disassembled after the end of the exhibition of artists on September 23, 2018
The composition will begin to be disassembled after the end of the exhibition of artists on September 23, 2018

The demonstration of The London Mastaba coincides in time with the artist's current exhibition, which presents sculptures, drawings, collages and photographs covering more than 60 years of the artists' joint work. It will be possible to view American art works according to the Serpentine Galleries schedule until September 23, 2018.