It had been a little while since artist JR made his art speak in the capital, but no worries, the silence didn't last long! After the Palais Garnier, he is now set to take on Pont-Neuf in 2026. So, get ready for a grand trompe l'œil that will transform the bridge, in tribute to the historic work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who wrapped Pont-Neuf in 1985.
Pont-Neuf Wrapped, a work that celebrates its 40th anniversary
Forty years ago, the art world was shaken by an absolutely unprecedented and bold work. With over 40,000 square meters of sandy-colored fabric, artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the bridge...
the entire Pont-Neuf, becoming a part of Parisian legend forever. Set up from September 22 to October 5, 1985, this installation required the hard work of 300 workers and 12 engineers.Voir cette publication sur Instagram
It’s the street artist JR, in collaboration with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, who has been entrusted with the mission of celebrating this anniversary through a new large-scale artwork, by the City of Paris.
A free exhibition offered this fall
The goal of this « Projet Pont-Neuf » will be to pay tribute to Christo and Jeanne-Claude, but also to present an immersive installation in the shape of a cave, right in the heart of Paris. Large rocks will connect the two banks for a few weeks.
Quelle belle nouvelle que le « Projet Pont Neuf » de @JRart pour rendre hommage à @ChristoandJC, 40 ans après leur empaquetage du pont ! Cette œuvre monumentale va faire vivre une nouvelle fois l’art dans l’espace public et renouveler le regard sur Paris grâce à un grand artiste. pic.twitter.com/qfG1w0oFlZ
— Carine Rolland (@carine_rolland) December 13, 2024
If the installation is set to debut in the fall of 2025, we’ll have to wait until the summer of 2026 to experience this amazing artwork. In the meantime, a free exhibition called Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Paris Projects is running until October 30, 2025, along the banks of the Seine. On October 3rd, the new Place du Pont Neuf will be inaugurated — renamed Place du Pont-Neuf - Christo and Jeanne-Claude — in the presence of Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, and Vladimir Yavachev, nephew and project director for the two artists.