Christo Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude de Guillebon are time twins. They were born on the same exact day in 1930 but in two different countries. It took some moving round for them to meet up, but in no time they had their lives all set up for the big things to come.
The story goes that Christo was an art-student in 1958 painting a portrait of Jeanne Claude’s mother when he met his “soul mate.” He was dating her sister and she was married. Like many sets of time twins, these two let nothing stand in their way. One divorce later they began their 51 year long collaboration. Jean-Claude passed away in 2009. Christo followed in 1920.
Christo and Jeanne Claude are not the most famous set of time twins, but together they have definitely created really big waves in the art world. Their experimental installations enhanced natural landscapes and architectural monuments. Keep in mind that Environmental Art does not depict nature like painting or photography. It encourages their viewers to consider their familiar surroundings in a new and different light, in this case, one of absolute wonder and delight.
According to their TIMELINE Christo and Jeanne-Claude actualized dozens of their visions throughout their shared lifetimes. They “draped” the L’Arc de Triumph in Paris and the Reichstag in Berlin. They “strung” a curtain across Rifle Gap in the Rocky Mountains. They “enveloped” a number of islands in Miami’s Biscayne Bay. They “scattered” umbrellas across the sunny hills of southern California. The list of wondrous accomplishments goes on and on.
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  #51 THU GEM 6/13/1935 Christo | #51 THU GEM 6/13/1935 Jeanne-Claude |
Christo Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude de Guillebon were born on the same Thursday in the zodiac sign of Gemini. This makes Jupiter the ruler of each of their INNER Selves and Mercury the ruler of both of their OUTER Selves. And as with all “time twins,” the sharing of the same doubled rulers creates a special world experience that only they could create and enjoy so much.
Gemini determines the OUTER nature of these two artists. Both exemplify an inventive, clever and witty capacity to view life. While the purpose of their art is not easily articulated, Christo and Jeanne-Claude most definitely had a message to communicate. It was LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE. People visiting these monumental installations often expressed as if they had been momentarily transported into another world.
Jupiter’s children are said to have “far to go.” Not only does this nursery rhyme suggest a yearning to travel far and wide, but also an interest in a broad range of ideas. Nothing is too immense or expensive for these folks. There is no doubt that Christo and Jeanne-Claude amplified each others thinking as they conceived and developed their projects.
