The purpose, he says, is to evoke joy through spectacular beauty, a feat he intends to achieve by painting the 410, 000 barrels, producing a three-dimensional mosaic of red and blue and yellow in the desert 100 miles outside Abu Dhabi City.

FORBES: Christo Is Building The World's Biggest Sculpture From Oil Drums In Abu Dhabi. Get The Message? (It Isn't What You Think.)

The centerpiece of the property is an enormous pool lined with blue iridescent glass-mosaic tiles, with lush sea-grape trees at each corner.

WSJ: The $40 Million Party Pad

Celebrating the anniversary of the Blue Note label by reworking selections from its catalog, The Blue Note 7 launched its CD, Mosaic, with a 50-city tour in January.

NPR: JazzSet On The Road: Blue Note 7 Recorded Live