Christo-Leica goes under the hammer

Wetzlar (WCA). Christo + Jeanne Claude – who doesn’t know them? The spectacular installations of the now deceased artist couple are world famous. Last but not least, the large-scale projects of the wrapped cultural monuments Arc de Triumphe in Paris and the Reichstag in Berlin caused a worldwide sensation and attracted millions of enthusiastic visitors.
In contrast to the temporary installations of the large-scale projects that later became the focus of his work, the Christo design sketches for the wrappings, as well as his earlier Wrapped Objects, are permanent works that are sought-after rarities on the art market today to count. Editions were created, such as the Wrapped Books, but also unique copies.

The German Leica photographer Wolfgang Volz officially accompanied the Christo + Jeanne Claude projects. In the almost 50-year collaboration, not only were the photographic documentations of the projects created, but photography also became an integral part of them. In the case of temporary installations, the photographs are ultimately what remains and are therefore part of the overall work of art.
On the occasion of Wolfgang Volz’s birthday, his Leica M4 itself became a wrapping object – as a gift from Christo to “his” highly valued photographer. Up until then, a number of documentations of Christo projects had been created with this camera.
Some time before the wrapping, Wolfgang Volz had redesigned the originally silver chrome-plated Leica M4 with a Summicron 35 mm lens into red/blue – the reason for this was a mission for the news magazine “Der Spiegel” in the New York Bronx. Volz wanted the photos for I wanted to make this series as unobserved as possible and had too many concerns about the eye-catching silver chrome-plated camera. The red/blue Leica M4 appears impressive and beautiful under the wrapping film signed by Christo with the original cord.
This previously unseen unique piece will be auctioned on October 12, 2024 as part of the 6th auction by Wetzlar Camera Auctions.

The auction catalog: www.wetzlarcameraauctions.com

Christo-Leica goes under the hammer

A unique piece that has never been shown before will be auctioned in Wetzlar this year

Datum: October 12, 2024, 12:00 p.m

Art: General dates

Ort: Wetzlar, Germany

URL: https://www.wetzlarcameraauctions.com