The Mastaba
The Mastaba, a project for Abu Dhabi, was conceived in 1977. It will be the largest sculpture in the world and Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s only permanent large-scale work.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude looking for a possible site for The Mastaba. February 1982
Christo and Jeanne-Claude scouting locations for the site of The Mastaba. October 2007
Christo during a scale model test at the proposed site of The Mastaba. November 2011
Christo in his studio with a preparatory drawing for The Mastaba. 2012
The Mastaba (Project for United Arab Emirates), 2009
Drawing 2009 in two parts, 15 x 65" and 42 x 65" (38 x 165 cm and 106.6 x 165 cm) - pencil, charcoal, wax crayon, pastel, technical data and map.
The Mastaba (Project for Abu Dhabi, Al Gharbia, near Oasis of Liwa)
Collage, 2012
8 1/2 x 11" (21.5 x 28 cm) - pencil, wax crayon, photograph by Wolfgang Volz, enamel paint and tape
The Mastaba (Project for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
Drawing 2012 in two parts, 2012
15 x 96" and 42 x 96" (38 x 244 cm and 106.6 x 244 cm). Pencil, charcoal, wax crayon, pastel, aerial photograph, hand-drawn technical data, enamel paint and tape
The Mastaba of Abu Dhabi (Project for United Arab Emirates)
Scale model, 1979
32 1/2 x 96 x 96" (82.5 x 244 x 244 cm) - enamel paint, wood, paint, sand and cardboard
The Mastaba of Abu Dhabi (Project for United Arab Emirates)
Collaged photographs, 1979. (Detail) 22 x 14" (56 x 35.5 cm) - pencil and two photographs by Wolfgang Volz
Each of the 410,000 oil barrels in The Mastaba will be 34 5/8 x 23 1/2" (88 x 59.6 cm). There will be 190,000 barrels whose circular ends will not be visible (on the top and sloping sides). They will be painted deep orange with a bright yellow strip in the middle. Of the barrels whose circular ends will be visible (on the two vertical, trapezoidal walls), the ends will be painted in 10 different colors: 113,244 bright yellow, 47,512 deep orange, 12,780 light pink, 11,648 pale brown, 10,455 ruby green, 7,298 grass green, 7,134 light ivory, 5,044 red lilac, 3,728 cobalt blue and 1,157 pastel green.
The proposed site for The Mastaba is in Al Gharbia (Western Region) 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the city of Abu Dhabi, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of Hamim in the Liwa desert
The Mastaba in comparison to the Great Pyramid of Giza (Pyramid of Cheops), Egypt
The site of The Mastaba in the United Arab Emirates.
The proposed site for The Mastaba is in Al Gharbia (Western Region) 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of the city of Abu Dhabi, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of Hamim in the Liwa desert
