Walk on water in Italy. For sixteen days – June 18 through July 3, 2016 (weather permitting) – Italy’s Lake Iseo is being reimagined. 100,000 square meters of shimmering yellow fabric, carried by a modular floating dock system of 220,000 high-density polyethylene cubes, undulate with the movement of the waves as “The Floating Piers” rise just above the surface of the water.
Christo to let people “walk on the water”
The Story:
In the spring and summer of 2014, Christo, Vladimir Yavachev – Operations Director, Wolfgang Volz – Project Manager, and Josy Kraft – Registrar/Curator, scouted the lakes of Northern Italy. Along with Project Director Germano Celant, they found Lake Iseo to be the most inspiring location. Since that time they have worked alongside team members from around the world to realize 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. Christo and Jeanne-Claude have a long history of creating projects in Italy: Wrapped Fountain and Wrapped Medieval Tower in Spoleto, 1968; Wrapped Monuments in Milan, 1970; and The Wall – Wrapped Roman Wall in Rome, 1973–74.
The Walkway:
A 3-kilometer-long walkway was created as The Floating Piers extend across the water of Lake 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. “Those who experience The Floating Piers will feel like they are walking on water – or perhaps the back of a whale,” said Christo. “The light and water will transform the bright yellow fabric to shades of red and gold throughout the sixteen days.”
Photo credit: Wolfgang Volz
The Floating Piers website: www.thefloatingpiers.com
Christo and Jeanne-Claude website: christojeanneclaude.net
Follow the project: Facebook www.facebook.com/floatingpiers
Instagram @floatingpiers
Twitter @floating_piers #thefloatingpiers
