If only Christo and Jeanne-Claude, keepers of The Gates and wrappers of islands, bridges, and buildings worldwide, would bring their yards of fabric to Washington and take on veiling the Mall’s monuments and landmarks. Unfortunately, their next project will be installed a few thousand miles west of here: Their current exhibit at the Phillips Collection, Over the River, A Work in Progress, documents their plans to cover a stretch of the Arkansas River in Colorado with silver fabric panels that match the water’s twists and turns. Tonight they’ll discuss the companion book for the exhibit, Over the River, as well as another forthcoming work, The Mastaba: Project for United Arab Emirates, which will stack painted oil barrels higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza.

CHRISTO AND JEANNE-CLAUDE DISCUSS AND SIGN COPIES OF THEIR WORK AT 5:45 P.M. AT THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION, 1600 21ST ST. NW. $12. (202) 387-2151.