Shunk-Kender © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2014.R.20). Gift of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation in Memory of Harry Shunk and Janos Kender.
Santa Rosa, CA– May 20, 2025
A trove of photos plucked from dumpsters reveals new aspects of Sonoma and Marin Counties’ most famous art piece, the controversial 24.5-mile-long 18-foot-high fabric Running Fence, which captivated public attention with years of heated debate before its final installation in September 1976.
The collection belonged to art photographer Harry Shunk, who died destitute in a New York City apartment crammed with his life’s work. While some items were auctioned away by the city, many boxes were discarded—until fortunate pickers recovered them. Shunk, alongside his partner János Kender, collaborated with artists including Andy Warhol, Yves Klein, Robert Rauschenberg, and Man Ray. The salvaged items were auctioned for $226,224 in 2012.
Among the recovered images are photographs documenting Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s West Coast road trip scouting Running Fence locations. These photos, originally misidentified as dating back to 1963, include the Christo family with a classic 1973 Ford Country Squire station wagon. The images also showcase landmarks such as the Valley Ford Post Office and the breathtaking Sonoma coastline. Ultimately, a path from Americano Estero and Valley Ford running 24.5-miles to Meacham Hill, just south of Cotati was selected for the art installation. A map depicting an alternate path for the 24.5-mile artwork through Harmony, California was also uncovered.
Running enthusiast and Christo fan, John Rose stumbled across the history while cresting Meacham Hill on Highway 101 where the Running Fence temporarily dominated the landscape. “I wondered if the Running Fence was inspired by the ancient marathon runner Pheidippides. At first, I was disappointed to learn the fence was only 24.5 miles. Then, I refined my search to ‘24.5 marathon’ and discovered that the original marathon distance was precisely that—and only extended to 26.2 miles for the 1908 London Olympics. It seemed Christo had referenced the historic run from the battlefield of Marathon to the democratic heart of Athens!
Seeking further evidence of a connection to “running,” Rose turned to the Getty Research Institute, which houses approximately 183,000 items from the Shunk-Kender collection. His visit unearthed the mislabeled photos documenting Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s road trip, alongside photographs of lost drawings detailing early versions of Running Fence, including Divide, a project for Holland and Germany and Curtains for West Berlin, which proposed an installation along the infamous border wall dividing communist East Germany from democratic West Germany. Interestingly, the placement of Running Fence along Americano Estero also coincided with a historic border—separating the Californios of Petaluma from the Russian settlers of Sebastopol and Fort Ross.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude said their art was a “scream for freedom” and never claimed the Running Fence was meaningless. They embraced the democratic process of public debates for approval and told those at a meeting, “like it or not, you are all part of my art.”
As Running Fence approaches its 50th anniversary in 2026, Rose—along with the Empire Runners club—is organizing a marathon foot race in Valley Ford to commemorate the artistic milestone. “The Running Fence Run is planned for Saturday, September 12th, a date that coincides with the Battle of Marathon and Pheidippides’ legendary run in 490 B.C.” Rose said, “The ancient democracy of Athens faced an existential threat from King Darius’ invading Persian Empire. Pheidippides’ epic perseverance and determination to deliver news was crucial to Athens overcoming the vastly larger army. Boston established their Marathon on Patriots’ Day to honor America’s Minuteman and heralds like Paul Revere who spread news to win our independence. The Running Fence Run will be on Patriot Day Weekend with a memorial planned for victims of the 9/11 attacks and the brave first responders and average Americans who ran towards danger in a time of need. I hope more people begin running with us.”
The Empire Runners are hosting a 50th Anniversary Movie “Marathon” for those who don’t remember the 70’s running boom, Christo, or Pheidippides.
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About:
Running Fence was a temporary environmental artwork by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, planned from 1972 to installation in September 1976. It consisted of 24.5 miles of white nylon fabric, stretching across the hills of Sonoma and Marin Counties in California. The artwork existed for only two weeks, but its impact on the landscape and the art world continues to resonate.
https://christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/running-fence
Christo and Jeanne-Claude were renowned for their large-scale environmental artworks, which often involved wrapping buildings or creating temporary installations in natural settings. Their work challenged traditional notions of art and engaged with the public in unique and thought-provoking ways.
https://christojeanneclaude.net/life-and-work
The Empire Runners celebrate their 50th anniversary this year. They host the oldest 10K in California, the July 4th Kenwood Footrace which began in the running boom kicked off by the graceful 1972 Olympic marathon victory of American Frank Shorter. The Running Fence Run is planned as a 5K in Cotati on 9/13/2025 and a Marathon in Valley Ford on 9/12/2026.
The Getty Research Institute (GRI) is an international center with an extensive library, special collections, array of programs, and a knowledgeable and diverse staff committed to preserving, creating, and sharing resources related to the history of art, conceived in the broadest terms.
https://www.getty.edu/research/tools
John Rose is an artist and indefatigable runner with a style more Pat Paulsen than Prefontaine. He completed his first grueling statewide race in California in March 2025 facing a record number of competitors and gaining over 14,000 fans with his underdog run. With many competitors dropping out, Rose considers finishing in the top 2/3 a huge achievement.
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