--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1964, Jeanne-Claude and I became…" description: "\"In 1964, Jeanne-Claude and I became illegal aliens. That's when we moved here from Paris. And for three years, we were illegal aliens living in an ille..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/christo-16310_alien_in-1964-jeanne-claude-and-i-became-illeg_2566108.jpg" --- # In 1964, Jeanne-Claude and I became illegal aliens. That's… ![“In 1964, Jeanne-Claude and I became illegal aliens. That's when we moved here from Paris. And for three years, we were illegal aliens living in an illegal building. At that time, some artists started to move to SoHo, and they put A.I.R. - artists-in-residence - up on their windows.” quote by Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/christo-16310_alien_in-1964-jeanne-claude-and-i-became-illeg_2566108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/christo-16310_alien_in-1964-jeanne-claude-and-i-became-illeg_2566108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/christo-16310_alien_in-1964-jeanne-claude-and-i-became-illeg_2566108.jpg) > “In 1964, Jeanne-Claude and I became illegal aliens. That's when we moved here from Paris. And for three years, we were illegal aliens living in an illegal building. At that time, some artists started to move to SoHo, and they put A.I.R. - artists-in-residence - up on their windows.” [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. They were undocumented immigrants living in a squat while artists formed A.I.R. in SoHo. **In simple terms:** Undocumented artists lived in illegal spaces as art community grew. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden struggles behind creative movements. Themes migration art community illegality urban life Mood reflective inspirational Type historical personal When to use this quote - artist residencies - urban housing - immigration policy Key Concepts identity resilience collective action Questions to Reflect On - How did illegality shape their artistic vision? - What role does community play in survival? A Different Perspective Legal status can limit resources and stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Illegal aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal-aliens/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Why did the regime put me in prison in the first place? I was put in prison for six years and it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-ganji/why-did-the-regime-put-me-in-prison-in-the-first-place-i-was-put-in/) [Akbar Ganji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-ganji/) > [I think so many people have taken biblical scriptures out of context on this, to say stuff like, 'Well, Jesus was a refugee.' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/i-think-so-many-people-have-taken-biblical-scriptures-out-of-context/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [I agree with the (Supreme Court's) holding that racial discrimination in higher education admissions will be illegal in 25 years. They are illegal now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-agree-with-the-supreme-court-s-holding-that-racial-discrimination/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-orben/illegal-aliens-have-always-been-a-problem-in-the-united-states-ask/) [Robert Orben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-orben/) > [According to the California Hospital Association, health care for illegal aliens is costing state taxpayers well over $1 billion a year. Eighty-four hospitals across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/according-to-the-california-hospital-association-health-care-for/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Our nation's immigration policy has been of top concern in recent years, and for good reason. With between eight and twelve million illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cannon/our-nation-s-immigration-policy-has-been-of-top-concern-in-recent/) [Chris Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cannon/) > [ No one believed \[the 1986 amnesty for illegal aliens\] was tough enough on illegal immigration, and it didn't give enough flexibility on future legal immigration. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/no-one-believed-the-1986-amnesty-for-illegal-aliens-was-tough-enough/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [We've opened our borders wide open to be flooded with illegal aliens coming into our country. This is the precedent that has been, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/we-ve-opened-our-borders-wide-open-to-be-flooded-with-illegal-aliens/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [I saw my city gripped by fear. Because of violent acts committed by illegal aliens, my residents were afraid to shop - or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barletta/i-saw-my-city-gripped-by-fear-because-of-violent-acts-committed-by/) [Lou Barletta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barletta/) > [I'm an illegal alien and have been for many years. If you rub my skin, I go green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-forlani/i-m-an-illegal-alien-and-have-been-for-many-years-if-you-rub-my-skin/) [Claire Forlani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-forlani/) > [U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz accused Republicans of trying to make it a crime to be an illegal alien. Democrats see a conspiracy plot. First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/argus-hamilton/u-s-rep-debbie-wasserman-schultz-accused-republicans-of-trying-to/) [Argus Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/argus-hamilton/) > [...we will not grant amnesty to illegal aliens in this Congress or, hopefully ever again. We did that once. Everybody said it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/we-will-not-grant-amnesty-to-illegal-aliens-in-this-congress-or/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [Even without voting, illegal aliens do affect who gets elected president, and that's since the Electoral College elects the president, and the states are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-without-voting-illegal-aliens-do-affect-who-gets-elected/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I've long been against illegal aliens, partly because they distract us from an even bigger threat: real aliens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/i-ve-long-been-against-illegal-aliens-partly-because-they-distract-us/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Even the Supreme Court, back when it used to makes sense, the Supreme Court has never ruled that a baby born to illegal aliens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-the-supreme-court-back-when-it-used-to-makes-sense-the-supreme/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Christo > [We have created indoor installations inside museums, like the Wrapped Floor at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago in 1968, and not monumental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/we-have-created-indoor-installations-inside-museums-like-the-wrapped/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [Now, there is no way to say how long some projects take, that's our principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/now-there-is-no-way-to-say-how-long-some-projects-take-that-s-our/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [New York is our home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/new-york-is-our-home/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [And the most unusual and surrealistic place in New York City is Central Park.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/and-the-most-unusual-and-surrealistic-place-in-new-york-city-is/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [Because we do not sell photographs, we have no royalties on books, posters, postcards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/because-we-do-not-sell-photographs-we-have-no-royalties-on-books/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [It is not only one person's work, it's really a partnership and collaboration during all these years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/it-is-not-only-one-person-s-work-it-s-really-a-partnership-and/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [And for every project, because it takes years, you can see the early drawings and collages as just a simple, vague idea, and through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/and-for-every-project-because-it-takes-years-you-can-see-the-early/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [Therefore, when we arrive in a place and talk to new people about a new image, it is very hard for them to visualize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/therefore-when-we-arrive-in-a-place-and-talk-to-new-people-about-a/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [If some of our works are symphonies, then wrapped walkways was chamber music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/if-some-of-our-works-are-symphonies-then-wrapped-walkways-was-chamber/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [The other work we started in 1992, it is called Over the River, Project for the Arkansas River in the state of Colorado, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/the-other-work-we-started-in-1992-it-is-called-over-the-river-project/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [We are probably the only artists in the world who have a 2,000-page book on a work of art that doesn't exist. But in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/we-are-probably-the-only-artists-in-the-world-who-have-a-2-000-page/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [But now, today, we don't know if Over the River is truly the next project to be realized, because something very nice happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/but-now-today-we-don-t-know-if-over-the-river-is-truly-the-next/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [We never work on only one project because we never know if we will get permission for a project. So, for 'Over the River,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/we-never-work-on-only-one-project-because-we-never-know-if-we-will/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [In 1964, when we first arrived in New York City, I remember vividly seeing the skyline of Manhattan, and our first proposal of 1964…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/in-1964-when-we-first-arrived-in-new-york-city-i-remember-vividly/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) > [That could stay, not forever, because we believe that nothing exists that is forever, not even the dinosaurs, but if well maintained, it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christo/that-could-stay-not-forever-because-we-believe-that-nothing-exists/) [Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) [Explore all 40 Christo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christo/) ## More Alien quotes > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the north?' 'Lots of planets have a north!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/if-you-are-an-alien-how-come-you-sound-like-you-re-from-the-north/) [Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [North Korea is still my homeland, my country. I suffered on the outside because I was alien, without identity. I was nobody. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/north-korea-is-still-my-homeland-my-country-i-suffered-on-the-outside/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [I don't want to be the embarrassment of the galaxy to have had the power to deflect an asteroid, and then not and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-be-the-embarrassment-of-the-galaxy-to-have-had-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Whatever is not commonly seen is condemned as alien.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/whatever-is-not-commonly-seen-is-condemned-as-alien/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [Alien's a great one. That's a scary movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/alien-s-a-great-one-that-s-a-scary-movie/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Rick stared at him. "Your brother is an alien." "Yeah, but he's a cute one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/rick-stared-at-him-your-brother-is-an-alien-yeah-but-he-s-a-cute-one/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“When I was a kid, I used to watch that show, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and wishing more than anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-watch-that-show-sitting-on-the-couch-in-my/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [We of alien looks or words must stick together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/we-of-alien-looks-or-words-must-stick-together/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [One of the most interesting things for me in playing another species is that you want to make them different enough to be alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-murray/one-of-the-most-interesting-things-for-me-in-playing-another-species/) [Jaime Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-murray/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 709 Alien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1964, Jeanne-Claude and I became illegal aliens. That's when we moved here from Paris. 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