He is known as the French Banksy \u2013 or simply JR. Now the artist, popular across France for his large-scale projects ranging from photographs to graffiti and street art, wants Parisians to do something unusual on the city\u2019s arguably most famous bridge: stop.<\/p>\n
In June, he plans to transform the bustling Pont Neuf, which dates back to the 17th century, into a walk-through \u201ccave\u201d. The temporary, monumental public artwork will cover the stone arches with a rocky illusion and invite visitors to cross the River Seine through a tunnel, complete with sound and digitally augmented reality.<\/p>\n
He says it is possibly the \u201clargest immersive installation ever made\u201d, one that will be accessible around the clock and offer a \u201ctotally different approach\u201d to the bridge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re about to leave something pretty incredible in the middle of Paris,\u201d JR says at his studio in eastern Paris, wearing his trademark hat and shades.<\/p>\n
His project, the Pont Neuf Cavern, runs from June 6 to 28. It will be 120 metres (394 feet) long and over 17 metres high.<\/p>\n
![\"Plans](\"https:\/\/img.i-scmp.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto\/sites\/default\/files\/d8\/images\/canvas\/2026\/02\/24\/5ca396ad-1f3d-4bba-aaba-280f680f044b_bee7336f.jpg\" "\\"Plans")
<\/div>The installation is a nod to two Paris legends: the late artistic duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude, who wrapped Pont Neuf and its street lights in a pale golden fabric in 1985. The project, which took years of negotiations with the authorities, helped define the genre of monumental public art in modern cities across the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n