λ CHRISTO (AMERICAN/BULGARIAN 1935-2020)PACKAGEFabric, rope and woodSigned and dated 63 (verso)50 x 34cm (19½ x 13¼ in.)Provenance:A gift from the artist to the Constantine and Anouska Hempel circa 1967/68 during the artist's stay at the Constantine Hotel in London, which was co-owned by the Hempels.This work is recorded in the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Archives.Christo's first packaged objects date from 1958-60 with the project 'Inventaire' which formed a large installation of unmodified, painted and packaged cans, bottles and boxes which filled an entire room. The present work, dating from 1963, is typical of the artist's early 'packaged' creations. These works challenge the viewer's perception and consideration of the object beyond its face value. Through its concealment, Christo not only creates a sense of mystery around the contents, leading us to question the nature what is being hidden, but also changes the function from everyday item to artwork.Whilst these early experiments with covering and packaging were exploratory and less about what was being covered, they became the basis for everything that followed. As the practice developed, Christo became more interested in the actual object being covered, rather than just the pure sculptural form of the finished 'package' The obsession with concealing objects, whether they be shoes, magazines, bicycles or buildings became the central theme of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's work. Born in Gabrovo, Bulgaria in 1935, Christo received his early arts training at the Fine Arts Academy in Sofia between 1952 and 1956. By 1958, Christo had moved to Paris where he met and married his partner and collaborator, Jeanne-Claude. In 1964, year after the present work was created, the couple would relocate to New York which would become their home for the rest of their lives. From these early tentative forays in covering, their vision broadened to encompass some of the largest and most iconic landmarks throughout the world from the Reichstag in Berlin to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Their boundless energy sought to realise the seemingly impossible, stamping their mark in the collective memory and redefining what was possible in public art.Package, 1963 has never been seen on the market before. A gift from the artist during one of his London trips, to renowned hoteliers and designers, Constantine and Anouska Hempel, the work has remained a part of Lady Weinberg's eclectic collection.λ Indicates that this lot may be subject to Droit de Suite royalty charges. From 1st January 2012 all UK art market professionals are required to collect a royalty payment for all works of art that have been produced by qualifying artists each time a work is re-sold during the artist’s lifetime and for a period up to 70 years following the artists death. This payment is only calculated on qualifying works of art which are sold for a hammer price more than the UK sterling equivalent of EURO 1,000. Please see our Terms and Conditions for a full definition of these charges. For a complete list of the royalty charges and threshold levels, please see www.dacs.org.uk.