In 1980, Christo and his wife and long-standing collaborator Jeanne-Claude embarked on a project that many thought would never see the light of day. For Surrounded Islands, the couple set out to ring 11 human-made islands in Miami’s Biscayne Bay with 6.5 million square feet of floating, bright pink, woven polypropylene fabric. After an arduous preparation phase – and thanks to the efforts of a 430-strong task force – the installation was finally completed on May 7, 1983. Surrounded Islands lasted only two weeks, but it has had a sustainable impact on the city’s cultural history, and is considered by many as a milestone in Miami’s renaissance. Thirty-five years later, Art Basel met Christo at Pelican Harbor Marina, the site of Surrounded Islands’ former HQ. In this exclusive interview, the artist revisits the three-year-long process that landed him in court – and led to Florida’s most celebrated art installation.