03/06/2026 - 9:37 GMT+2
While the aptly named Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, has rested solidly on its piers for more than four centuries, the monumental installation it was due to host has proved far more fragile.
Four days before the inauguration of "La Caverne" by artist JR, the project partners announced on Tuesday that the event would be postponed after the artwork was damaged by bad weather.
Photos and videos posted on social media show a torn canvas revealing its inflatable support. The exact extent of the damage has yet to be determined.
"The decision has been taken to postpone the opening of the work to a date after 6 June, which will be set in the light of the findings of the inspection report", says a joint statement from Atelier JR, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation and the Amicale des Ponts de Paris. The signatories add that a technical assessment is currently under way.
