Artist Jeanne-Claude Dies at 74

Artist Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon, who is best known for her collaborative environmental arts installations with husband Christo Javacheff, died today in Manhattan of complications stemming from a brain aneurysm. Jeanne-Claude, 74, is survived by her husband and son Cyril Christo.

Jeanne-Claude’s career spanned nearly 50 years and dozens of environmental art projects that typically included large-scale works, which incorporated the wrapping of buildings, trees, walls and bridges. Two of the most famous are the duo’s wrappings of the Pont Neuf in Paris and the Reichstag in Berlin.

In 2005, Jeanne-Claude co-created the Central Park installation “The Gates” with Christo embellishing 7, 503 vinyl gates along 23 miles of the park’s footpaths with orange saffron drapes. The massive public art project was seen by over 5 million people and generated an estimated $254 million for the local economy.

In a statement to the Associated Press following the artist’s passing, Christo explained he is "committed to honor the promise they made to each other many years ago: that the art of Christo and Jeanne-Claude would continue." He plans to finish the couple’s two current installations: “Over The River, Project for the Arkansas River, State of Colorado” and “The Mastaba,” a project for the United Arab Emirates.