Christo’s Air Package Debuts at Gagosian London

Christo and Jeanne-Claude became known for large‑scale, temporary works that wrapped buildings, coastlines and landmarks in fabric. In the 1960s Christo experimented with sealing air inside transparent polyethylene, calling the idea “Air Package.” The concept was meant to become a floating, lit form but technical limits kept it unrealized. The model was found in 2018 but kept undisclosed until after Christo’s death in 2020.

The installation will occupy a rectangle 16 meters long and 10 meters wide, hanging just above head height in the gallery. Serena Cattaneo Adorno, senior director at Gagosian, described it as “both architectural and atmospheric, it compels visitors to move beneath and around it.” Lorenza Giovanelli, who found the model, said the discovered model remains in excellent condition, having never been exposed to sunlight and hidden for 50 years. The exhibition runs from 21 May to 21 August at Gagosian London, 20 Grosvenor Hill, W1, and is produced with the Christo and Jeanne‑Claude Foundation.

This marks the first physical manifestation of a Christo concept that existed only as drawings and a maquette for over half a century. By translating the air‑wrapping idea into a tangible, lit cloud, the show extends the artists’ exploration of immaterial materials into a new medium. The work also highlights the role of archival discovery in realizing lost concepts, showing how preserved models can inform contemporary exhibition practice. The exhibition will also feature ancillary works on the theme of air – described as invisible, intangible and essential.

Scholars and curators will likely assess how the installation influences future reconstructions of unrealized works, and whether similar models in other archives will prompt additional premieres.