JR
JR, a French photographer and street artist, identifies himself as a "photograffeur," blending the worlds of photography and graffiti. He flyposts large black-and-white photographic images in public spaces as part of his artistic expression.
Biography of JR
JR was born in 1983 in Paris, France. Starting his journey as a teenage graffiti artist, JR initially focused on leaving his mark on public spaces and society rather than aiming to change the world, as he admits. His graffiti endeavors frequently took aim at precarious locations such as rooftops and subway trains.
Upon discovering a camera in the Paris Metro in 2001, JR and his friends initiated documenting his graffiti endeavors. At 17, he started affixing photocopies of these images to outdoor walls, thus creating illegal "sidewalk gallery exhibitions".
Later, JR embarked on a journey across Europe to connect with individuals who utilized outdoor walls as their canvas for artistic expression. This experience led him to contemplate the vertical boundaries, walls, and facades that shape urban landscapes. Inspired by the people he encountered and their messages, JR plastered their portraits on the streets, in basements, and atop the rooftops of Paris.
From 2004 to 2006, JR developed "Portraits of a Generation," capturing the portraits of young individuals from the housing projects surrounding Paris, showcasing them in monumental scale. Initially an underground endeavor, this project gained official recognition when the City of Paris authorized the display of JR's photographs on buildings.
In 2008, JR embarked on a global journey for "Women Are Heroes," a project aimed at spotlighting the dignity of women frequently affected by conflicts.
JR was awarded the TED Prize for 2011. He utilized the $100,000 prize money to launch the Inside Out Project, a worldwide art initiative empowering thousands of individuals to communicate with their communities through portraits displayed in public spaces.
In 2015, he directed the short film "ELLIS," featuring Robert De Niro.
In 2016, JR received an invitation from the Louvre to create a surprising anamorphosis that made I.M. Pei's renowned glass pyramid disappear. Then, in March 2019, JR once more transformed the Louvre pyramid, this time employing a 3D optical illusion. Using his signature black-and-white stickers, he created the illusion of the pyramid extending underground into an excavated crater.
Currently, JR divides his time between Paris, France, and New York City, USA.
JR's Art Style
Through his expansive street installations, JR compels us to acknowledge phenomena and individuals often overlooked in our daily lives. He crafts portraits characterized by inquisitive, penetrating gazes, instilling a sense of solemnity that captivates our attention and lingers in our consciousness long after encountering them. Collaborating with a diverse array of artists including the New York City Ballet, OSGEMEOS, Agnès Varda, and Robert De Niro, JR has created films, installations, interventions, and various other works spanning different mediums.
In his creative process, JR endeavors to engage the local community in the evolution of his projects. He captures the interest of individuals who may not typically frequent museums by disseminating his uncommissioned works on buildings throughout Paris, on walls in the Middle East, on dilapidated bridges in Africa, or in the favelas of Brazil.
In every project, JR endeavors to serve as a witness for a community. Its members aren't just viewers; they actively participate in the creation process. JR's approach blurs the line between actors and spectators, fostering encounters between subjects and passersby, sparking questions, forging social connections, uniting communities, and fostering awareness, all while maintaining a sense of humor.