JR

JR: the artist who makes walls speak

JR is a world-renowned French artist, known for his monumental black-and-white collages that turn public spaces into open-air galleries. Blending photography, street art, and social engagement, his work gives a voice to the anonymous, revealing hidden stories within our societies.

His artistic journey began with graffiti, but his perspective shifted when he found an abandoned camera in the Paris metro. From that moment, he started pasting his own photographs on walls, creating a direct interaction between his art and the public.

JR gained recognition in 2006 with Portrait of a Generation, a series of large-scale portraits of suburban youthdisplayed on building facades across Paris. His next project, Face 2 Face (2007), was a turning point: he placed side-by-side portraits of Israelis and Palestinians with similar expressions on the separation wall, challenging stereotypes and divisions.

He then launched ambitious global projects. With Women Are Heroes (2008-2011), he paid tribute to women from disadvantaged communities in Brazil, Kenya, Cambodia, and India, pasting their powerful gazes on buildings, trains, and bridges. In 2011, JR received the prestigious TED Prize, which enabled him to launch Inside Out, a participatory project inviting people to submit their portraits for public display, allowing individual stories to be shared worldwide.

From the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre, from the favelas of Rio to the U.S.-Mexico border, JR continues to push artistic and social boundaries. His work, both accessible and impactful, transforms every wall into a universal message, where faces tell the stories of those who are too often unheard.