Chiroptera is the second act of an operatic art series French artist JR has worked on entitled Retour à la caverne.
The first act, occurring in September 2023, involved the construction and showing of an art display in front of the Place de l'Opera in Paris, France that made the building appear to be a large cave.
[2] JR considered the project to be an inverse to a traditional opera, with the performance happening in the street exposed to the noise of the city rather than occurring inside.
Bangalter, when speaking about the collaboration, said their initial interest in working together more directly sparked due to their shared sentiment and determination to remain independent artists.
[5][6] JR and filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher co-directed a 2024 short film connected to the themes of Retour à la caverne and Chiroptera titled An Urban Allegory.