Street artist JR’s blown-up photographs transform urban spaces into open-air galleries, challenging beliefs and promoting empathy.
Urban Graffiti Artist JR
JR’s blown-up photographs are pasted on mainly urban surfaces such as buildings, bridges and rooftops. This enables him to engage his audience where they least expect it.
In 2004, he photographed street kids in the Clichy-sous-Bois neighbourhood and pasted their portraits on walls. Their plight was highlighted in 2005 when two teenage boys were killed in an electricity substation during Paris riots.
He is a French artist
JR’s work uses the city as a canvas, transforming the streets into ‘sidewalk galleries’ where people from all walks of life can appreciate his art. He started his career as a graffiti artist but soon switched to using photocopies of photographs on street walls. His first major project, Portrait of a Generation, used photos of residents from Les Bosquets to highlight the city’s underrepresented citizens.
Following this, JR travelled to Israel and Palestine for his acclaimed (and technically illegal) Face 2 Face project. He photographed cheerful portraits of Israeli and Palestinian citizens on opposite sides of the barrier wall, promoting commonality over difference.
After winning a TED Prize in 2011, JR founded the international participatory art project Inside Out. This allows individuals to billboard their own photos as a way to share their stories and ideas with the world. The works can be found in cities around the world including Paris, London, and Abu Dhabi.
He is a photographer
JR’s photography is an important component of his work, often documenting the process of creating his installations. He uses large-format cameras to capture people in their everyday lives. His photographs are enlarged and pasted onto mainly urban surfaces. The result is art that confronts the public, causing them to question their beliefs.
In the early 2000s, JR used his camera to highlight young people in poor areas of Paris. He photographed them with exaggerated scowls, and then pasted them on walls around the city. These projects challenged prejudices and helped to humanise the youths.
JR’s work has been shown in galleries and museums around the world. His recent projects include an installation in the Tehachapi maximum-security prison, which was created in collaboration with prisoners and former prisoners. His latest project, INSIDE OUT, allows participants to share their portraits with the world. JR’s work combines art and activism to promote ideas about commitment, freedom and community.
He is a street artist
He is one of the most popular street artists in the world, with his works touching cities around the globe. His works are a reflection of the people and cultures they depict. He also challenges the vertical boundaries of a city and pushes its citizens out of their comfort zones.
His work focuses on underprivileged and overlooked communities. He photographs ordinary people and pastes them on a massive scale in places where they can be seen, such as train stations or border fences. The images aim to promote awareness about specific issues and encourage empathy for the people depicted.
JR’s work has travelled around the world, from Paris to Nairobi and even North Korea. He often collaborates with local communities to create his works. His latest project, titled “Wrinkles of the City”, aims to challenge deeply-held beliefs about elderly people. His earlier projects, such as Face 2 Face and Inside Out, have been similarly successful.
He is a collage artist
JR’s photographic collage technique creates monumental public artwork that speaks to the global issues we face. His work addresses topics such as immigration, gun violence, and the role of women in impoverished communities. JR’s work is a form of “urban activism.” You can subscribe to his newsletter to stay up-to-date on his latest projects.
Through his “Infiltrating Art” project, JR involves local communities in the process of creating art. He asks residents to send in their own photos, which he enlarges to poster size. He then pastes the photos in an outdoor space, turning the streets into open-air galleries.
For example, he recently completed the Chronicles of San Francisco, featuring more than 1,200 portraits of people from the city. Each story is accompanied by a photograph of the subject and a short description of their lives. The artist’s work promotes diversity and the beauty of each individual’s unique experience.