JR

JR (Paris, France, 1983).
“Giants, Kikito and the Border Patrol, Tecate, Mexico-USA,” 2017. 2018 edition.
Color offset print on paper. Exhibition poster.
Open edition, unsigned.
Published by Galerie Perrotin, New York, on the occasion of the exhibition “Horizontal,” held in 2018.
Measurements: 61 x 91 cm.

This image is part of the Giants, Kikito project, developed by JR in 2017 on the border between Mexico and the United States, as a reflection on immigration policies and the barriers separating the two countries. The installation consisted of placing a monumental photograph of Kikito, a one-year-old Mexican boy, on a structure located next to the border wall in Tecate, creating the illusion that the child was looking toward U.S. territory. This composition shows the installation from the U.S. side, with a Border Patrol agent gazing at the figure. The hallmarks of childlike innocence and the police presence introduce a powerful symbolic dimension, characteristic of the artist’s social commitment. The work thus transforms a space of political division into a setting for dialogue and reflection on borders and freedom of movement.

JR is one of the leading figures in contemporary urban art. His work combines photography, public art, and social engagement, with notable projects such as *Face 2 Face* (2007), *Women Are Heroes* (2008), and *Inside Out* (2011). A recipient of the TED Prize in 2011, he has exhibited at institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum in New York, SFMOMA in San Francisco, and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.