Over the River, Project for Colorado River, From Above

Christo Javacheff (1935-), is a Bulgarian artist, known for his collaboration with French artist Jeanne-Claude Denat (1935-2009). Together, they created some of the most impressively large and ceaselessly clever art installations ever seen, and this collection of rare, lithographic photo prints showcases the breadth and depth of their work.

Offset lithography is a printing technique wherein the image is created from a polymer coating applied to a flexible plastic or metal plate, and transferred onto a flexible rubber sheet before being transferred to the printing surface. This method allows for malleability in the printing elements, to make sure the details are authentically replicated.

This particular print features plans for Christo and Jeanne Claude's unrealized project, "Over The River". It was originally conceived in 1992, and included 5.9 miles of silvery, luminous fabric panels to be suspended high above the water in eight distinct areas along a 42-mile stretch of the Arkansas River between Cañon City and Salida in south-central Colorado. All the proper state and federal permits were obtained, but after 20 years of resistance from local groups, Christo and Jeanne-Claude decided to expend their energy on newer projects instead.