christo's big air package opens in germany

‘big air package’ by christo and jeanne-claude, germanyimage © wolfgang volzall images courtesy of christo and jeanne claude

big air packagegasometer oberhausen, germanyon 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