Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude were a married artist duo known for their large-scale environmental art installations. Born on the same day, June 13, 1935—Christo in Gabrovo, Bulgaria, and Jeanne-Claude in Morocco—they met in Paris in 1958 when Christo painted a portrait of Jeanne-Claude’s mother. Their artistic collaboration quickly turned into a lifelong partnership. Their most famous works include wrapping the Reichstag in Berlin, wrapping the Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris, the 24-mile-long Running Fence in California, and The Gates in New York City's Central Park. Initially, credit was given only to Christo, but in 1994, all outdoor works and large-scale installations were retroactively credited to both. The couple took precautions for their legacy, even flying in separate planes to ensure their work could continue in case of an accident.