the pont neuf to be transformed again after 40 years
As Paris it’s been forty years since then Christo and Jeanne-Claude activated the Pont Neuf with The Pont Neuf Wrapped, a landmark installation that elevated the bridge from an infrastructure icon to an ephemeral work of art, French artist JR is preparing La Caverne du Pont Neuf, an immersive temporary installation that will transform the historic bridge into a monumental stone-like cave that visitors can walk through. On view from June 6 to June 28, 2026, the project extends the lineage of temporary urban transformations to a new generation through architecture, sound and augmented reality.
The original project, executed in 1985, enveloped the city’s oldest bridge in 41,800 square meters of fabric, secured by thirteen kilometers of rope and twelve tons of steel cables. This vision took a decade of planning and negotiation before it came to fruition. The wrap remained on the bridge for two weeks, during which three million visitors engaged with the installation. True to the philosophy of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the project invited them publichis individual interpretation, which embraces the transitory nature of art. I wanted to transform it, to turn it from an architectural object, an object of inspiration for artists, into an art object itself.,’ Christos then explained. ‘I wanted it to be a sculpture for the first time, but ephemeral.’ Instead of wrapping the bridge as Christo and Jeanne-Claude once did, JR imagines the Pont Neuf as a habitable landscape. Conceived as a symbolic crossing of a cavernous interior, the installation invites visitors to pass through a floating environment where raw geological textures collide with the refinement of Parisian architecture.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-85, photograph Wolfgang Volz © 1985 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation
jr’s tribute to Christos and Jean Claude
To celebrate this anniversary, modern artist JR will redefine Pont Neuf with Projet Pont Neuf, a large-scale installation inspired by the ground-breaking work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Collaboration with group at the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, JR’s vision will transform the iconic bridge into a stone cave for two weeks in the summer of 2026. Built as a monumental inflatable structure composed of printed fabric and air-filled arches, La Caverne du Pont Neuf creates a mineral form throughout the mineral form. The installation draws inspiration from the limestone quarries that provided the stone used to build much of historic Paris.
Drawing inspiration from the quarries that gave Paris its historic stones, JR’s design juxtaposes the refined elegance of the city with raw, unruly textures. The installation will serve as a reflection on Paris’ evolving relationship with nature and architecture.
‘I am very inspired by the artistic vision of Christo and Jeanne-Claude and share their idea that the mission of art is to make the public think,’ notes JR. ‘The discussion that a monumental work can provoke in the public space is of equal value to its artistic realization. Art is a transformation and a way of renewing the way we see the world around us.’ Inside the structure, visitors will be able to pass through a tunnel-like interior envisioned as a sensory journey. JR describes the passage through La Caverne as “a step into the unknown”, where fullness and emptiness coexist, expanding on themes explored in previous Retour à la Caverne installations in Paris, Florence and Rome.
Interior View of La Caverne du Pont Neuf (Preparatory Sketch) — Photo: Courtesy Atelier JR © 2026 Atelier JR
THOMAS BANGALTER CREATES THE PROJECT’S SOUNDSCAPE
JR also invited Thomas Bangalter, formerly of Daft Punk, to create the sound environment for La Caverne du Pont Neuf. Rather than composing a traditional musical score, Bangalter describes the intervention as an electro-acoustic texture intended to “mineralize” the cave through reverberation and atmosphere.
Bangalter recalls Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s winding bridge as one of his most vivid childhood artistic memories, describing the original installation as the “most inspiring” piece of art he had ever seen.
The facility will also incorporate an augmented reality experience developed in collaboration with Snap’s AR Studio Paris. Entitled Echoes, the digital layer introduces moving visual traces inspired by Étienne-Jules Marey’s time-photography research, allowing visitors to experience shifting bodies, light and movement through wearable devices and Snap Spectacles.
The Caverne du Pont Neuf (Preparatory Sketch) — Photo: Courtesy of Atelier JR © 2026 Atelier JR
Paris Continues the Legacy of Public Art
The project has received enthusiastic support from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who recalls her own experience with The Pont Neuf Wrapped. ‘In 1985, I was mesmerized by the wrapping of the Pont Neuf by Christo and Jeanne-Claude… It was an unforgettable moment of poetry and beauty,’ says the mayor. ‘What a great idea to revive this artistic gesture thanks to JR’s universe and immense talent!‘
Accessible free of charge twenty-four hours a day, the facility is designed to be experienced from several vantage points across the city, including the banks of the Seine, nearby bridges and riverboat routes. Its monumental scale will also make the project visible from elevated points across Paris.
JR and his collaborators have emphasized lightweight construction and material reuse throughout the development of the project. Using air as the primary building material, the installation minimizes intervention on the historic bridge while reducing the impact on transportation and construction compared to conventional temporary architecture.
JR and his team, with support from the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, are working with local officials to carefully plan the facility, ensuring it resonates with the city and its residents. As with its predecessor, Projet Pont Neuf will be privately financed.
Interior View of La Caverne du Pont Neuf (Preparatory Sketch) — Photo: Courtesy Atelier JR © 2026 Atelier JR
Reflecting on the lasting impact of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s work, Vladimir Yavachev, nephew of Christo and director of projects for the late artists, highlights the evolution of public art in Paris. ‘It’s truly beautiful to see how much Paris has increased its commitment to public art over the past 40 years,’ says Yavachev. ‘Knowing JR’s dedication to public art, he is the ideal artist for this tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude.’
Projet Pont Neuf will invite Parisians and visitors to engage with the city’s beloved bridge in a whole new way, celebrating the timeless dialogue between art, architecture and urban landscape.
Interior View of La Caverne du Pont Neuf (Preparatory Sketch) — Photo: Courtesy Atelier JR © 2026 Atelier JR
JR La Caverne du Pont Neuf (preparatory sketch) Collage 2026 Papercut on paper 25.5 x 41 cm (10 x 16⅛ in) — Atelier JR Photo: Courtesy Atelier JR © 2026 Atelier JR
JR La Caverne du Pont Neuf (preparatory sketch) Collage 2026 Papercut on paper 25.5 x 41 cm (10 x 16⅛ in) — Atelier JR Photo: Courtesy Atelier JR © 2026 Atelier JR
JR, Pont-Neuf Project (preparatory collage), Collage 2024, paper cut on paper, photo courtesy of Atelier JR © 2024 JR
JR, Projet Pont-Neuf, Edition 2024, limited edition of 50 numbered and signed copies, photo courtesy of Atelier JR © 2024 JR
Christo and Jeanne-Claude at The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1985, photo by Wolfgang Volz © 1985 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation
The Pont Neuf Wrapped (Project for Paris), Collage 1984, pencil, crayons, enamel, photograph by Wolfgang Volz and masking tape, private collection, photo: Archive © 1984 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation
