Street Artist Creates Controversial Art Installation On Top Of US – Mexico Border

By Mayukh Saha / Truth Theory

French artist JR happens to be a magician who summons individuals onto walls. In the month of September of 2017, a 65 feet tall one-year-old baby made its appearance on the Mexican border near the Tecate crossing, situated southeast of San Diego. The photograph of Kikito, the child who makes his appearance in this art installation, peered over the boundary and smiled with his fingers on top of the dividing line.

This politically charged installation from the very private artist, JR has seen widespread fame across the planet. Very little information is known about JR other than the fact that he is French and his signature style is giant photographic projects on scaffoldings and buildings.

JR attributes his inspiration to a child peering over the fence that he saw one day when he just woke up. It made him wonder what this child thought; what any child, given the fact, are thinking without any political perspective. Borders and immigration issues have always caught the attention of JR and this overly famous US – Mexico border is certainly no stranger to notoriety. US President Donald Trump kept talking about building a wall in 2017 and is getting it built this year.

JR meant to humanize the people on the Mexican side of the border as opposed to the general way of viewing them as criminals who need to be locked out with a wall. He did so beautifully, using this rendition of Kikito in consultation with his mother who also hoped to humanize all Mexicans, as opposed to being viewed as monsters crossing the border.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaHN0nPjXEw/?utm_source=ig_embed

This politically charged installation from the very private artist, JR has seen widespread fame across the planet. Very little information is known about JR other than the fact that he is French and his signature style is giant photographic projects on scaffoldings and buildings.

JR attributes his inspiration to a child peering over the fence that he saw one day when he just woke up. It made him wonder what this child thought; what any child, given the fact, are thinking without any political perspective. Borders and immigration issues have always caught the attention of JR and this overly famous US – Mexico border is certainly no stranger to notoriety. US President Donald Trump kept talking about building a wall in 2017 and is getting it built this year.

JR meant to humanize the people on the Mexican side of the border as opposed to the general way of viewing them as criminals who need to be locked out with a wall. He did so beautifully, using this rendition of Kikito in consultation with his mother who also hoped to humanize all Mexicans, as opposed to being viewed as monsters crossing the border.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaB-me9FOv2/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaB_LHylTOi/?utm_source=ig_embed

On the 8th of October, 2017, JR, along with Pedro Alonzo, the curator that helped in organizing this art installation, organized a picnic that stretched on both sides of the border to commemorate the closing of this temporary installation. A long table was stretched from Mexico to the United States which portrayed JR’s famous ‘eyes’. The two halves of the congregation stood on each side of the border, but they stood in unison and played the very same music.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ_y8Hkjj3Z/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ981HGF3kT/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY3rPPRjhMx/?utm_source=ig_embed

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaC1v-yjj0F/?utm_source=ig_embed

 

 

 

 

Leave Comment: