JR : « Make It Work, Then Stay In The Shadow »

JR : « Make it work, Then stay in the Shadow »

The document is an article from The Wall Street Journal, entitled « JR : Make it work, Then stay in the Shadow ». It was written by Christopher DeWorlf and published on September 18, 2013. This text deals with a famous artist who create an unique concept of photography and who has spread it in all around the world.

J.R is a french photographer. Today, he’s a legend. In fact, only known by his initials, he has earned worldwide recongnition for his photography project. He offers an innovative concept : he pastes illegaly large-scale portraits of ordinary people from different countries into the sides of buildings, streets furniture or rooptoofs sot hey can be notice only from afar. Thus this project called « Inside out » widens from Providencia to Paris via Hong Kong, New York, Israel and many others.As example, JR has pasted photos of Jews and Arabs in israel and in the West Bank sharing the same job and making silly faces side by side.

The main idea is that everyone can participate no matter of their gender, where they come from, etc… They just have to sent theirs portraits, and then they recieve a big print than then can paste where they want even if pasted posters are illegal in lot’s of places in the city. The main idea is that everyone can participate no matter of their gender, where they come from, etc. Participants have a complete freedom of involvement.

Thus the project exceeds JR It is no longer a simple gallery show, but a social phenomenon where everyone feels affected in one way or another whether as spectators or as participants. The project is defined by J.R as a mirror of society. As exampl,e the photos of « Inside Out » were used by gay-rights activitists in Moscow and by antigovernment protesters in Teheran. By stepping back, JR wants to keep the authenticity of the project.

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