Paris is an open-air museum, but sometimes art leaves the galleries to take over the city’s landmarks, transforming perspectives and surprising passers-by! For just a few days or months, certain monumental installations have transformed the face of the capital and left a lasting mark on the collective memory. From Christo’s wrapped Pont Neuf to the immersive creations of JR or Anish Kapoor, these ephemeral works have proven that a Parisian monument can, for a brief moment, become a total work of art.
The Pont Neuf Wrapped, by Christo and Jeanne-Claude (1985)
In September 1985, the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude transformed Paris’s oldest bridge. Covered in 40,000 m² of sand-coloured canvas held in place by ropes, the Pont Neuf suddenly seemed to float in the Parisian light. The project, which had been in the making for nearly ten years, attracted millions of visitors fascinated by this vision, as strange as it was poetic. A spectacular work that has become one of the symbols of ephemeral art in Paris.
Leviathan, by Anish Kapoor at the Grand Palais (2011)
Beneath the glass roof of the Grand Palais, the artist Anish Kapoor had conceived a gigantic structure named Leviathan. This immense dark red inflatable membrane filled the entire nave and immersed visitors in an extraordinary sensory experience. Upon entering the artwork, the public discovered an organic and almost surreal world. A monumental installation that left its mark on the history of the Monumenta event.
Excentrique(s) – site-specific work, by Daniel Buren at the Grand Palais (2012)
A year after Kapoor, Daniel Buren took his turn to take over the Grand Palais with a colourful, geometric installation. Hundreds of transparent blue, yellow, red and green circles filtered the light through the glass roof and completely transformed the space. True to his work on lines and perspectives, Buren played with the building’s architecture to create an immersive and luminous work. Visitors were thus able to rediscover the monument from a completely new angle.
Détournement, by Stéphane Thidet at the Conciergerie (2018)
In 2018, the artist Stéphane Thidet installed a striking artwork in the Conciergerie. With Détournement, he transformed the atmosphere of this historic monument using a device whereby water from the Seine flowed into the old Palais de la Cité and trickled between the columns. Striking a balance between poetry and unease, the installation poetically evoked the memory of the place and the passage of time. A discreet yet deeply immersive creation.
The Secret of the Great Pyramid, by JR at the Louvre (2019)
In 2019, French artist JR created a spectacular illusion in the courtyard of the Louvre Museum. Thanks to a huge photographic collage and the help of 400 volunteers, the famous pyramid appeared to be sinking into a stone quarry. The work played with perspective and transformed the iconic monument into a giant trompe-l’œil. As is often the case with JR, the installation went viral and attracted crowds eager to photograph this ephemeral creation.
The Arc de Triomphe wrapped by Christo and Jeanne-Claude (2021)
Conceived back in the 1960s by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the project finally came to fruition in 2021, following the artists’ deaths. The Arc de Triomphe was entirely covered in bluish-silver fabric held in place by long red ropes. For several weeks, the iconic monument underwent a radical transformation in appearance, offering a fresh perspective on its architecture. This posthumous work attracted millions of visitors and stands as one of the major artistic events of the decade in Paris.
The Olympic Cauldron, by Mathieu Lehanneur (2024)
For the 2024 Summer Olympics, designer Mathieu Lehanneur conceived a contemporary, ethereal Olympic cauldron. Suspended within a huge illuminated balloon in the heart of Paris, it combined technology, symbolism and minimalist elegance. Visible from several points across the capital, this creation quickly became one of the Games’ visual icons. A work straddling the boundaries of design, performance and monumental sculpture, it soared once more into the Parisian sky in the summer of 2025 and is set to return this summer to the Tuileries Gardens.
The Pont Neuf Cave, by JR (2026)
In 2026, JR returns to capture the public’s imagination with another spectacular transformation of the Pont Neuf. The artist covers the monument with a huge trompe-l’œil that gives the impression that a gigantic rock cavern has opened up on the bridge. Thanks to his monumental photographic work, a rocky landscape suddenly seems to emerge from the structure. A temporary installation that confirms contemporary artists’ fascination with Paris’s historic monuments and their ability to reinvent the city.
Come along to the Pont Neuf from 6 to 28 June to step inside this mysterious cave!
And you, which of these works made the biggest impression on you?
