...with some help from JR, a French renegade street photographer who goes only by his initials and turns his photos of people into building-size posters. His latest instalment was in Shanghai called "Wrinkles of the City". JR is also the recipient of the 2011 TED Prize.
More info on him lifted from another website:
Last Wednesday, shortly after the announcement, the New York Times wrote a short introduction to JR’s work called ‘Award to Artist Who Gives Slums a Human Face‘. The project JR is currently working on in Shanghai, The Wrinkles of the City, deals with memory, aging, a city under transformation:
The project starts with portraits of elderly people who represent the memory of a city past. JR interviews each person and records the changes witnessed in the city. Then these portraits, printed in monumental sizes, are pasted in the very same city in various places that inspire JR and represent the city’s heritage. Memory can stumble and fall – disappear any minute as the elderly leave us – JR shows us that it is important not to forget what the elderly have to pass on to younger generations. Without any judgment, JR just gives us bits of history in an artistic, yet poetic, social and above all, human way.
Vivian agreed it would be cool (*thud* that's the sound of my jaw hitting the floor) to check out these posters before they were torn or fell down. So off we went to Red Town, a former steel factory converted into an arts complex with outdoor sculptures, a museum, gift shops, cafes and arts-oriented business offices.
The one photo poster
Up closer to give you an idea of scale
This window was on the left side of the building.
Really close, maybe too close.
Back off, Mum!
The other poster
One of the numerous outdoor sculptures
Where's Vivian?
Vivian indulging her inner photographer.
More sculptures
The only bad part of our visit to Red Town was the timing. We went late afternoon when the light was fading. Guess that means we'll have to go back...Cross your fingers that I can get Vivian to come with me!
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