The Christo Collection on the Wrapped Reichstag 1995

The exhibition documents the journey from the initial idea to wrap the parliament building to its eventual realization. On display are numerous designs by the artist couple, ranging from very simple early sketches to final drawings created shortly before construction began. The collection, which comprises a total of around 400 items, also includes photographs and original artifacts.

On display is the model of the wrapped Reichstag that Süssmuth used at the time to drum up support. Also on view are letters documenting the debate among members of parliament, as well as original remnants of fabric and rope. However, the Christo Collection in the Reichstag building offers more than just a retrospective on the twenty years since the art project and the hopes and concerns held at the time. Rather, the documents and artworks offer a glimpse into an art project that, like few before it, had an impact on politics and contributed to the Germans’ search for identity at the threshold of a new era. Since then, the “Wrapped Reichstag” has become one of the images and memories that have become an integral part of our history.