PARIS.- La Caverne du Pont Neuf, a monumental temporary work of art by JR will be on view from June 6 to 28, 2026. The artwork will pay tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Pont Neuf Wrapped, which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. This will be a time-limited opportunity for Parisians and visitors to experience a reimagination of Paris’ oldest bridge. The project will be made possible thanks to a partnership with the L’Amicale des Ponts de Paris endowment fund.

JR’s vision was inspired by the quarries from which the bridge’s stones were extracted and emphasizes the origins of Paris’ historic architecture. La Caverne du Pont Neuf will juxtapose the raw and untamed with the refined elegance of Paris, creating a dialogue between past and present.

A homage to The Pont Neuf Wrapped

Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Pont Neuf Wrapped was first proposed by the artists in 1975. It required a decade of technical planning and negotiations with authorities before coming to life from September 22 to October 5, 1985. During that time, the iconic bridge was wrapped in 41,800 square meters of fabric, secured with 13 kilometers of rope and 12 tons of steel cables, with the help of 12 engineers and 300 specialized workers.

“I wanted to transform it, to turn it from an architectural object, an object of inspiration for artists, to an art object itself,” Christo explained at the time. “I wanted it to become a sculpture for the first time, but an ephemeral one.” Over the two-week period, three million visitors experienced The Pont Neuf Wrapped.

“In 1985, I was fascinated by Christo and Jeanne-Claude's wrapping of the Pont Neuf. From the Pont des Arts, I had observed this impressive artwork from afar, before approaching and finally walking this metamorphosed monument”, recalls Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris. “It was an unforgettable moment of poetry and beauty. We were rediscovering the bridges and the majesty of the river of Paris. What a wonderful idea to revive this artistic gesture through JR's universe and immense talent! I'm delighted with this gift to Paris and all those who love it. We'll be able to observe the artwork walking, by bike or strolling along the banks of the Seine: the Pont Neuf has remained the same, but Paris has changed a lot.”

“For Christo and Jeanne-Claude, securing permission for The Pont Neuf Wrapped was one of the most challenging achievements of their career,” says Vladimir Yavachev, Christo’s nephew and director of projects for the artists. “It is truly inspiring to see how much Paris has deepened its commitment to public art over the past 40 years. We already saw this clearly with L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped. I want to thank the City of Paris for continuing to be a bold cultural leader, and knowing JR’s dedication to public art, he is the perfect artist to honor Christo and Jeanne-Claude with this tribute.”

40 years later, JR transforms again the Pont Neuf

The Pont Neuf, which translates to “New Bridge” was completed in 1607, and was the first bridge in Paris that did not use wood and was built entirely of Lutetian limestone, known as Paris stone. The bridge’s limestone, used to build many of the Paris’ buildings and landmarks, was sourced from quarries in the Paris Basin. It was also the first bridge in the city that included paved sidewalks, facilitating pedestrian use and Parisian street life. In addition to its enduring public use, the bridge continues to be heralded for its rich history and picturesque views of the Seine.

“My vision for this project is rooted in both the past and present of this iconic bridge,” JR explains. “I once was also very inspired by the artistic vision of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and I share their idea that the mission of art is to make the public think—or rethink about the familiar. The debate that a project in a public space can provoke is of equal value to its artistic realization. Art is a transformation, and a way of renewing the way we look at the world around us. Through the dream of La Caverne du Pont Neuf, this is what I hope to make possible in Paris”.

JR and his team, in coordination with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation and L’Amicale des Ponts de Paris, have been thoughtfully planning and working with the support of the City of Paris on La Caverne du Pont Neuf. Extensive technical studies were conducted in order to attain the necessary authorizations. During the exhibition dates, La Caverne du Pont Neuf will be accessible to the public by strolling across the bridge or beneath, whether by ferry or on the pathways along the banks of the Seine. The artwork will be free to all and funded privately, not with government sources. More details will be announced in 2026.

The conclusion of an artistic period for JR

For JR, La Caverne du Pont Neuf will be a crowning moment in an artistic cycle that began in 2020, during which he has continually questioned the growing disconnection and isolation among citizens, particularly exacerbated by the pandemic and the successive lockdowns. It is in this spirit that JR has created several trompe-l'oeil artworks, creating breaches in the facades of iconic buildings, with La Ferita in Florence (2021), Punto de Fuga in Rome (2021), and La Nascita in Milan (2024).

This approach also inspired the creation of Retour à la Caverne (Return to the Cave) on the facade of the Paris Opera (2023). The Palais Garnier installation encouraged viewers to return to a romanticism inspired by the natural world. The cave beckoned viewers to peer inside, invoking Plato's allegory —a place where the exit leads to knowledge and an understanding of the world.

The two acts of Retour à la Caverne, which ultimately came to life in a performance involving 153 dancers, are the prelude to what La Caverne du Pont Neuf will conclude. With the transformation of the iconic bridge into a cave, JR aims to accompany a movement inviting citizens to abandon blindness and isolationism in favor of lucidity, togetherness and concord among all.