JR to transform the Pont Neuf into an ephemeral grotto in homage to Christo and Jeanne-Claude

In September 2025, the Pont-Neuf will be transformed into a monumental grotto by JR. A tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude, this ephemeral installation will offer a unique artistic immersion in the heart of Paris.

Attention art lovers and Parisians - from September 22, 2025 and for 2 weeks, the Pont Neuf, the capital's oldest bridge (despite its misleading name), will be transformed into an immersive, monumental installation. At the helm is JR, the 41-year-old French street artist and photographer, renowned for his XXL collages around the world. With this Pont-Neuf Project, JR pays tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude , who wrapped the same bridge in 1985.

On instagram, a teaser of the project was published in the form of a flashback video of the artist couple's work. In it, artist JR says that this is one of the craziest projects he's ever worked on, right in the heart of Paris.

An urban grotto by JR

40 years ago, Christo and Jeanne-Claude revolutionized ephemeral art by wrapping the Pont-Neuf in 41,800 m2 of fabric, held together by 13 km of rope and 12 tons of steel cables. Today, JR has drawn on this heritage to create a monumental grotto between the two banks of the Seine. The installation, to be admired day and night, evokes the quarries from which the stones that built Paris were quarried.

A project supported by the city and financed by private funds

The project has received the enthusiastic support of the Mayor of Paris, according to Le Parisien. According to the media outlet, the Fondation Christo et Jeanne-Claude, which initiated the project, has specified that the work will be financed by private patrons.

A tribute to the masters of the ephemeral

More recently, the famous artistic duo's last monumental packaging in Paris was for the Arc de Triomphe in 2021. Postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this work was finally carried out posthumously, following Christo's death in May 2020.

With Projet Pont-Neuf, JR continues this artistic tradition, offering a contemporary interpretation of the bridge. For two weeks, the urban grotto will transform the perception of passers-by, offering them a journey through history, architecture and art.