Can art really change the world?

Can art really change the world?   Who knew that French “photograffeur”, JR. would do just that by turning the streets of the world, into "the largest gallery on the planet” for his “28 mm project”. I first heard about JR in an art history class.  He’s brilliant. and he has caused a global sensation. All of his projects are mind blowing, not only due to their simplistic nature (ink and paper), but essentially because the work itself is bold, powerful, thought provoking, and encompassing all that political art should.  Happily, I stumbled upon JR's recent interview on the awesome, NOWNESS.  Here’s a quote from the site: 

“ . . . massive, iconic images can be found hand-pasted to crumbling buildings, trains, garbage trucks and bridges, whimsically reclaiming the urban landscape. Now a TED Prize-winner, semi-anonymous JR grew up in the suburbs of Paris and began tagging and 'exhibiting' on the streets as a teen. When he found a camera on the Metro, he started taking photographs.  Now he’s shaking things up with a new system that allows everyone to print and post works in their own neighborhoods, all for free. 'It’s true art. That’s why people want to participate,'   . . . Today JR, who views the city as 'the biggest gallery in the world,' also shows in more traditional spaces, including Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin and the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Los Angeles MoCA, collaborating with artists such as Jose Parlà and Takashi Murakami. He’s creating this monster project , . . showing that we’re all human—all equal.”

Check out this short video and be enlightened.

If you have a few extra minutes, I would highly recommend watching JR's TED Prize talk. Check it out here! 

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xo xo xo // PARIS