Christo gets honorary degree in Turin (2)

(ANSA) - Turin, October 17 - Bulgarian-born US artist Christo got an honorary degree in Turin Tuesday, saying he was focused on his new 'Mastaba' project in Abu Dhabi after the runaway success of last summer's Floating Piers on Italy's Lake Iseo. "Now I'm focused on the construction of the Mastaba in Abu Dhabi. It takes a lot of resources, required sophisticated engineering work on an area stretching for 16 square kilometres," the 82-year-old told an audience of academics, students and dignitaries.
    Christo also revealed that it was his late wife Jean-Claude, with whom he still signs his works despite her death aged 74 in 2009, who "told me to work." He also said he did not like telephones or personal computers.
    The Mastaba is a planned trapezoidal structure of over 400,000 oil barrels, intended to be built at Al Gharbia, 100 miles from Abu Dhabi.
    It will, if realised, be the only lasting Christo/Jeanne-Claude artwork.
    Their works include the wrapping of the Reichstag in Berlin and the Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris, the 24-mile (39 km)-long artwork called Running Fence in Sonoma and Marin counties in California, and The Gates in New York City's Central Park.
    Christo's spectacular installation 'The Floating Piers' on Lake Iseo in northern Italy attracted the greatest number of visitors in 2016 according to an ANSA ranking of the top ten exhibitions in Italy last year.
    The bright orange floating pathways by the American-Bulgarian artist drew a record 1.5 million visitors between June 18 and July 3.