THE FLOATING PIERS, LAKE ISEO, ITALY
For sixteen days – June 18 through July 3, 2016. 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.
Visitors can experience this work of art by walking on it from Sulzano to Monte Isola and to the
island of San Paolo, which is framed by The Floating Piers. The mountains surrounding the lake
offer a bird’s-eye view of The Floating Piers, exposing unnoticed angles and altering perspectives.
Lake Iseo is located 100 kilometers east of Milan and 200 kilometers west of Venice.
“Like all of our projects, The Floating Piers is absolutely free and accessible 24 hours a day, weather
permitting,” said Christo. “There are no tickets, no openings, no reservations and no owners. The
Floating Piers are an extension of the street and belong to everyone.”
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.”
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
Christo and Jeann-Claude: The Floating Piers, Lake Iseo, Italye
Interview with Christo https://news.artnet.com/art-world/artnet-asks-christo-350807
