christo & jeanne-claude's iconic surrounded islands come alive in NSU museum exhibition

NSU Art Museum Receives iconic Christo & Jeanne-Claude Gift

The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation has gifted the pair’s iconic Miami installation Surrounded Islands to the NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale. Starting February 2025, the museum is set to showcase the donation, featuring over 43 of Christo’s original sketches and collages, along with photos, engineering surveys, environmental studies, and even pieces of the famous pink fabric. The exhibit will take visitors behind the scenes of this groundbreaking project, revealing the creative and logistical journey that brought Surrounded Islands to life.

‘As Home of Surrounded Islands, NSU Art Museum is the only custodian of this epic art project of both local and international interest. It bestows on the museum the responsibility of perpetuating the legacy of this trailblazing artistic duo, and inspiring current and future generations of artists to pursue their dreams no matter how big and complicated they may be,’ Bonnie Clearwater, director and chief curator of NSU Art Museum, tells designboom.

‘This project, which was only on view for two weeks in 1983, was so successful in capturing the imagination of art enthusiasts and the general public that over 40 years later it is still talked about as a magical moment. We aim to bring the experience of Surrounded Islands to life with the inaugural exhibition as fully as possible.’

A Vision in Pink: The Creation of Surrounded Islands

Surrounded Islands by Christo and Jeanne-Claude came to life in May 1983, when 6.5 million square feet of bright pink polypropylene fabric were wrapped around 11 islands in Biscayne Bay. Though the installation stayed in place for just two weeks, it took over three years to plan and cost more than $3 million, fully funded by the artistic duo through the sale of Christo’s original works. The concept began in 1980 when they were invited to create an artwork for the 1982 New World Festival of the Arts. Over the next three years, they navigated a complex approval process, securing permits from various agencies, including the Florida Governor, the Dade County Commission, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They also worked closely with environmental groups and local residents to protect the marine wildlife living around the islands. All materials used in Surrounded Islands were industrially recycled, aside from the documentation materials retained for the collection. While Surrounded Islands was installed for only two weeks, it left an indelible imprint on the history of South Florida.

Despite the ephemeral nature of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s projects, they considered each of these events as permanent artworks in the minds of viewers, since ‘an experience can never be taken away.’ The artists piqued the curiosity of the broader community as well as the international art world with the extensive effort it took to realize their works. Documents, including correspondence, permits and environmental studies are preserved as part of the documentation exhibitions curated by the artists themselves.

Christo and Jeanne – Claude, Surrounded Islands, Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida, 1980 – 83 |photo: Wolfgang Volz copyright: 2024 Christo and Jeanne – Claude Foundation Collection NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale: Gift of the Christo and Jeanne – Claude Foundation

The documentation exhibition of Surrounded Islands was organized by Christo and Jeanne-Claude to give viewers and researchers unique insight into the making of this monumental project, which was entirely self-funded through the sale of Christo’s original drawings and collages. The exhibition features over 40 original artworks by Christo that illustrate the evolution of his ideas, stunning photo murals of the completed installation, and films capturing the creative and logistical process. It also includes extensive correspondence showing their ability to gain support from government agencies, community members, engineers, and environmentalists. Visitors can see large-scale models, sections of the pink fabric used to wrap the 11 islands in Biscayne Bay, and interviews with key participants. Additionally, the exhibit holds a rich collection of environmental and marine biology reports from the early 1980s, including an inventory of birds inhabiting the islands—valuable resources for researchers today and in the future.

‘The inaugural exhibition at NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale of this gift will present the project as fully as possible. In addition we will share filmed interviews with the artists, the participants, and those who experienced Surrounded Islands as they share their experiences. We will also invite participants to share their memories with the public in person as in the tradition of passing on an ancient myth,’ Bonnie Clearwater explains.

Christo Surrounded Islands (project for Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Florida) drawing 1982 in two parts pencil, charcoal, pastel, wax crayon, enamel paint, aerial photograph, and fabric sample 38 x 244 cm and 106.6 x 244 cm (15 x 96 in and 42 x 96 in) — property of the Estate of Christo V. Javacheff | photo: Wolfgang Volz © 1982 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation

Christo Surrounded Islands (project for Biscayne Bay, Greater Miami, Fla) drawing 1983 in two parts pencil, pastel, charcoal, wax crayon, enamel paint, aerial photograph, and fabric sample 165 x 106.6 cm and 165 x 38 cm (65 x 42 in and 65 x 15 in) — National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., USA. Gift of a private collector in honor of Dorothy and Herbert Vogel | photo: André Grossmann © 1983 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation