"Christo Reaction" Beachscape Acrylic on 5 Panels by John “Nelson” Richardson

Art serves as a window into imaginary worlds that reflect a tangible reality shaped by the artist’s hand. Nelson Richardson’s Christo Reaction is a witness work that belongs to the latter category, inviting the observer to explore the boundaries between abstraction and figuration while contemplating humanity’s place within the vastness of nature. This work pays homage to « The Umbrellas ». In 1991, the artistic duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude created a large-scale installation, with 1,760 yellow umbrellas in Tejon Pass, California, and 1,340 blue umbrellas in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The project highlighted the contrasts and connections between the two landscapes, drawing attention to the interplay of grandeur and intimacy. The umbrellas, measuring nearly 6 meters high and 9 meters in diameter, formed a technical and temporary work, dismantled after a few weeks due to unpredictable weather and safety concerns. Nelson Richardson’s work is presented as a contemporary fresco consisting of