The Groninger Museum will feature the first major museum exhibition of French artist JRs’ artwork.
Visitors will get the chance to trace back his artistic journey from the beginning of his career as a street graffiti artist in Paris to his large-scale (architectural) community projects all over the world. The exhibition featuring collages, murals, films, and photographs of the world-famous artist is the first of its kind in the Netherlands.
First (artistic) steps
“JR”, how the artist calls himself, describes himself as a street artist. Whilst he started his creative journey in the streets of Paris as a teenager, his interest in photography began when he found a camera on the subway. His first (unauthorized) exhibition called “Portraits of a Generation” was composed of photographs he took of young inhabitants of the Parisian banlieues. These photographs were flyposted across the neighbourhood, showing grimacing portraits of the teens, aiming to challenge how they were presented within society and media.
Biggest art gallery in the world
According to the artist, he owns the largest art gallery in the world. JR exhibits his projects in streets around the world, allowing the public to consume his art freely. Moreover, he addresses social issues regarding inequality, consumerism, politics, and questions of identity. Another project that attracted media attention was the instalment of a photograph of “Kikito,” a smiling toddler, pasted onto a scaffolding on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border. On the last day of the installation, a cross border picnic was arranged, hosting participants on either side of the border.
JR meets Groningen
From November 20 until June 12, visitors will get the opportunity to experience the artists’ projects. The exhibition called “JR: Chronicles” will provide a broad overview of the French artist personal and artistic journey and feature some of his most iconic projects. The show is curated by the Brooklyn Museums in New York.
Check out the Groningen Museums’ website and purchase tickets here!
Photo by Ferdinand Feys on Flickr
