Reading Response 1

JR is a self-proclaimed “artivist” a mix between an artist and an activist. JR goes to communities around the world to create graffiti installations out of his photos. JR’s complete art installations include photographs of his murals in their natural habitats. He searches to raise the voices of those typically forgotten and in the margins of society. In the process of making these installations in these new locations he meets the people in the community and learns more about them. This typically influences the final piece and is influenced by the culture in these local areas

Another thing I found interesting about JR is the way he refers to his community artistic projects. He talks about them in a way that they are collaboratively created with the members of the community. Another note he makes is since he has no corporate sponsors, he has no obligation to anyone but him and his subject. 

Through his project “Inside Out” funded by his winning prize of $100,000 from Ted, JR decided to allow even more people to occupy their own individual spaces with portraits. In the case of an installment in Tunisia, “Inside Out was now enabling…[people], to take over spaces formerly occupied by the autocratic ruler.” This project has now reached more then 9000 spots and over 74,000 photos were uploaded. The role the internet played in allowing for such a project to grow in the way it did is huge. It allowed so many individuals to redefine their communities through photography.