Thanks to all that came, Tiger for the beer and Oval for the Vodka and Mr jazz dance ... if there's a better reason for staying fully clothed in an art gallery I haven't seen one.
Biography
From France, JR’s work is as good as unique. His regular modus operandi is to bill-post giant, unexpected, monochrome photographs in positions of high visibility - including rooftops, church windows and along the sides of buses. The work has graced the covers of Liberation and The Financial Times. Its goal is clear; to assist viewers in recovering their humanity.
JR has undertaken three major projects using this format. Portrait d’une Generation featured shots of the young natives from the much-maligned Paris banlieus (suburbs). However, in contrast to the public image of young immigrants – snarling, alienated and primed for social disorder – the subjects were pictured pulling funny faces through a fish-eye lens, inevitably lending an approachable, comic aspect. The giant posters went up in the grand central districts of Paris where the banlieus residents are considered thoroughly unwelcome (on a previous fact-finding trip to Paris, Lazarides was forbidden entry to bars along the Champs Elysees due to his mildly Cypriot appearance).
This theme has been extended to two further executions. Face 2 Face, dubbed ‘the largest illegal photo exhibition in the world’, appropriated the border wall running the length of the disputed areas between Israel and Palestine. Vast photographs of Jews and Palestinians of all denominations, including those with orthodox leanings, grinning goonishly into camera, ran side-by-side along a considerable length of the wall. JR’s latest project, Women Are Heroes, has been even more well-received than those which preceded it. It saw him relocate to the strife-ridden African countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia. In contrast to the usual mages of grief and despair, local women were pictured appearing happy and playful. JR is currently putting in motion a new ‘exhibition’ in India.
Available Work
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Thanks to all that came, Tiger for the beer and Oval for the Vodka and Mr jazz dance ... if there's a better reason for staying fully clothed in an art gallery I haven't seen one.
If you'd like see JR's handwork but aren't sure where to find the buildings, then we have produced a handy map of all the locations which is available from all our galleries spaces.
JR is an internationally acclaimed street artist and photographer who, with classic wheat-pasting methods and documentary photography, creates an all out assault of in your face street imagery. Originally interested in the landscape of his suburban Paris neighborhood JR found his first real camera inside of the Paris metro late one night.
From that night on JR used his newly found camera and his late night wheat pasting actions to document and exhibit the vibrant Hip Hop culture of Paris.
From touristy downtown to the depths of the ghetto, JR had made pedestrians well aware of his dynamic street presence.
JR's dedication and consistency to get up and move forward has propelled him to status as an international man of artistic mystery.
JR's art is almost always illegal. The galleries are JR's enemy and he believes the street and alternative spots to be the new place for art.
JR continues to rock out wit his consistently illegal and inspiring spots and uses the press as his vehicle for international publicity.
He has a book due out called French Polish.
Check out the website.
