The Vatican Library is swallowed by a giant wave! JR’s latest work “DILUVIUM” unveils a stunning 70-meter surge
The visuals of this installation are just too overwhelming!
Summary
- French artist JR has unveiled his latest work, “DILUVIUM,” transforming the façade of the Vatican Apostolic Library so it looks as if it is being engulfed by massive waves.
- The piece was inspired by a Great Flood engraving from the Bible created by Gustave Doré in 1866.
- JR uses “flooding” as a metaphor for how cultural memory can vanish overnight, extending the discussion to climate change, extreme disasters, and preservation in the age of AI.
- “DILUVIUM” is part of the “AQVA” exhibition, which runs from September 25, 2026 to May 14, 2027.
French artist JR has once again unveiled a work that makes you stop in your tracks. This time, he has placed a massive black-and-white wave, 70 meters wide and about 30 meters high, across the facade of the Vatican Apostolic Library, as if it were about to sweep over the building and rush toward you. Titled “DILUVIUM,” the large-scale installation is also the first striking visual of the Vatican Apostolic Library’s new exhibition, “AQVA.”
The inspiration came from a Bible published 160 years ago
在 Instagram 查看這則貼文
Look closely at the giant wave and you’ll see it wasn’t imagined out of thin air. JR drew inspiration from “The Deluge,” an engraving created by 19th-century French artist Gustave Doré for the 1866 French edition of the Bible, enlarging and transforming it into a monumental work that covers the building’s facade. The disaster scene, once confined to the pages of a book, has crossed more than a century to enter the real world.
A single flood really can wipe out centuries of civilization
Images from ig / @bibliotecaapostolicavaticana @jr
The choice of water was no coincidence. For a library that preserves a vast collection of ancient books, manuscripts, and historical archives, water is essential to life, yet it can also instantly become a force that destroys cultural memory. Through “DILUVIUM,” JR gives this fear a tangible form while bringing the focus back to the present. He says the work also speaks to climate change, extreme weather, and the changes brought about by AI’s large-scale absorption of human knowledge. As the world changes rapidly, what do we want to preserve, and what might disappear forever?
More than just JR’s giant wave, “AQVA” makes water the focus of the entire exhibition
Images from ig / @bibliotecaapostolicavaticana @jr
“AQVA” is the first exhibition in the Vatican Apostolic Library’s five-year exhibition project, “Catastrofe e Meraviglia (Disaster and Wonder).” Future exhibitions will reconsider the threats facing cultural preservation through water; light and air; fire; insects and microorganisms; and humanity. Alongside JR, the first exhibition also invites Bill Moran and Fulvio Pierangelini to take part, using ancient books, art, typography, food, and restoration techniques to present water’s dual nature: it can destroy, create, and restore. The exhibition opens at the Vatican Apostolic Library on September 25, 2026.
AQVA – Catastrofe e Meraviglia
Dates: September 25, 2026 – May 14, 2027
Venue: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vatican Apostolic Library)
Join Popbee Circle and subscribe to the Popbee newsletter for the latest updates, and get early access to exclusive perks and discounts. Beyond this article, here are a few recent stories worth checking out:
- Cat people, add this to your pocket list now! Jeju Island’s “Dolcori Forest” theme park, healed on the spot by a 16-meter giant “tangerine cat”
- Even lip care needs Hermès: Hermès launches a new lip mask, and even the applicator is stunningly gorgeous
- A touch of soft, gentle charm: yellow nails are this summer’s hottest trend, which style should you pick to show off their beauty?
