JR
Art That Fades, Connections That Last
Image from: Marc Azoulay, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
“The images, like life, are ephemeral. Once pasted, the art piece lives on its own… The process is all about participation of volunteers, visitors, and souvenir catchers.”
“Can art really change the world?” For French artist JR, the answer is a resounding yes—or, more accurately, he believes “Art can change the way we see the world.” (1)
With a camera, wheat paste and a bold vision, JR has transformed city streets into powerful stages for dialogue, where public art becomes a voice for the unheard.
From bustling cities to remote villages, his massive black-and-white portraits on walls, rooftops, bridges, cargo containers or trains invite communities to challenge stereotypes and seek common ground. Known for his signature look—black sunglasses and a fedora—in his work, JR defies conventions, blending activism with creativity that breaks down walls, both literal and figurative.
Giants - Kikito and the border patrol, Tecate, Mexico-USA Border, 2017
In Tecate, JR created a monumental installation of Kikito, a toddler peering curiously over the border wall from his family’s home, playfully gazing across to see what lies beyond.
Art as a Catalyst for Dialogue
Born in Paris to immigrant parents, JR began his artistic journey as a graffiti artist, capturing the unseen lives and hidden stories of everyday people with a cheap camera he found on the Paris Métro. Over the past two decades, JR has become a powerful storyteller, using photography, street art and social engagement to create connections in communities around the globe. As he once said, “The city is the best gallery I could imagine!”
In this open gallery, JR’s art fosters empathy and reimagines how we relate to one another. His work spans countless projects worldwide, from Face2Face, bringing together Israeli and Palestinian people’s portraits side-by-side, to Women Are Heroes, celebrating women in conflict zones, or The Wrinkles of the City, honoring elders across continents. Each project opens new ways of seeing and connecting with others.
Migrants - picnic across the border, Tecate, Mexico-USA, 2017
In a cross-border gathering, JR reunited Kikito—the toddler depicted peeking over the border wall—and his family with hundreds of guests from both sides. A long table, symbolizing unity and hope for Dreamers, stretched along the border, filled with shared meals and mariachi music, letting the division fade for a few joyful hours.
A Tool to Question the World
What makes JR’s art unique is not only its scale but also the collaborative spirit behind it. His work builds bridges through collective action, with hundreds of volunteers from all walks of life coming together to paste down his artworks in public spaces, turning the creative process into a shared experience.
Although designed to wear away with time, each installation creates lasting connections and memories, inviting fresh perspectives. JR’s documentaries, such as Faces Places and Tehachapi, about the maximum-security prison where he created a project portraying the inmates, delve into the stories behind these projects, continuing to inspire connection and spark conversation long after each piece fades.
“I am often asked for answers. My role as an artist is not that: art is a tool to question the world.”
Tehachapi, the yard, California, USA, 2019
From above, JR’s powerful installation at Tehachapi Maximum-Security Prison reveals large-scale portraits of inmates, pasted directly onto the prison grounds. The striking piece invites viewers to rethink perspectives on incarceration, as the portraits blend into the landscape, symbolizing a bridge between those inside and the world beyond.
A Global Canvas: The Inside Out Project
Pushing the boundaries of dialogue and connection, JR launched the Inside Out Project, now the world’s largest participatory art initiative. He invites people worldwide to submit their own portraits, which are then printed as large posters and displayed in public spaces, transforming streets into vibrant platforms for dialogue on themes like diversity, justice, and empathy.
This ongoing project has distributed over half a million posters across 152 countries, allowing individuals—from Swiss retirement home residents to communities in Pakistan—to reclaim public space and share their unique stories.
Art that Connects Beyond Borders
With his distinctive style—degradable materials, massive scale and community participation—JR’s work reminds us that art isn’t just visual. It’s a universal language capable of bridging divides, challenging assumptions and creating lasting connections long after the artwork fades.
As a true Champion of Dialogue, JR shows us that true impact comes not from permanence but from the shared experiences and stories that connect us all. “Can art really change the world?” It certainly can change the way we see each other, one mural, one face, and one conversation at a time.
Food for Thought
JR’s work invites us to see the world—and each other—through a different lens. While he builds connections on a global scale, how can we use creativity to spark conversations and foster understanding right where we are?
Additional Quotes from JR
“Art doesn’t just speak—it listens. It invites stories, ideas and emotions from everyone who engages with it.”
“When people join hands to create, they find common ground, no matter where they come from.”
“I would like to bring art to improbable places, create projects so huge with the community that they are forced to ask themselves questions.”
“I want to use art as a bridge to make people talk to each other.”
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