Wife of wrapping artist Christo dies

(AFP PHOTO/ERIC ESTRADE)

The artist Jeanne-Claude, who collaborated with her husband Christo in wrapping the Reichstag, erecting huge umbrellas in California and other monumental, often bizarre projects, has died.

She was 74.

She died late Wednesday in New York after complications due to a ruptured brain aneurysm, according to a statement on the website www.christojeanneclaude.net.

Christo, the more famous half of the duo, was "deeply saddened by the passing of his wife, partner and collaborator," it said.

But he vowed "to honor the promise they made to each other many years ago: the art of Christo and Jeanne-Claude will continue."

The couple, working jointly under the name Christo, became world famous with stunning projects that included wrapping fabric around the Reichstag in Berlin and the Pont Neuf in Paris.

They also surrounded islands off the Florida coast with fabric and erected giant umbrellas in California and Japan.

In New York, they hung thousands of saffron-colored banners along footpaths in Central Park, drawing millions of visitors.

Their current, unfinished installations are "Over The River, Project for the Arkansas River, State of Colorado" and "The Mastaba" in the United Arab Emirates.