JR's Paris Cave Installation Comes Alive with 153 Dancers

On November 12, 2023, Place de l'Opéra in Paris hosted an unprecedented spectacle: the large cave installation by French artist JR, created in September, served as the backdrop for "Chiroptera," a dance performance featuring 153 dancers, notably Amandine Albisson, principal dancer of the Paris Opera. The event marked the second act of JR's artistic project for the Opéra Garnier, realized in collaboration with choreographer Damien Jalet and DJ Thomas Bangalter, with support from Chanel. Over 25,000 people gathered in the square, drawn by JR's social media announcement, each provided with spelunker lights to wear on their heads to "explore" the cave. The one-night-only performance transformed JR's installation into a curtain that opened to reveal 153 dancers on a scaffolding 30 meters high. The choreography by Jalet unfolded to music composed by Bangalter. Albisson, in black attire, opened the dance by tearing through the cave's entrance, becoming a nocturnal creature. The dancers formed the phrase: "Darkness possesses the grace of light." Referencing Plato's cave myth, the performance turned the dance corps into nocturnal creatures moving through darkness by rhythm. JR addressed the crowd, stating the theme was the dichotomy between light and darkness, saying artists must seek light even in darkness.