JR Chronicles tells the stories of NYC

The JR Chronicles exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum is one worth the checking out, and you have until May 3 to do so.

The show grabbed my attention when I learned that it featured photos and stories from all kinds of New Yorkers. With audio stories from hundreds of people, as well as fascinating pictures of new arrivals, longtime residents, and everyone in between, it did not disappoint.

JR, who is from France, has given a captivating TED talk (available to watch at the exhibit) and is highly regarded for his street art and graffiti but remains best known for his photography, which gives visibility to everyday people.

In the early stages of his career, which the exhibit also encompasses, he produced photographs of French immigrants who were living in the suburbs outside of Paris. Various  arondissements within the French capital displayed the images.

For his New York City exhibit, he drove a van to neighborhoods in all five boroughs and had people come in to be photographed in front of a green screen. He let them choose how they wanted to be portrayed.

JR’s photo locations included Bedford-Stuyvesant, Williamsburg, Flatbush and Coney Island in Brooklyn; Jamaica, Flushing and Jackson Heights in Queens; two areas in the Bronx; one location in Staten Island; and five different neighborhoods all over Manhattan. Sometimes he had trouble getting people to talk and at other times he couldn’t get them to stop reflecting. 

Ultimately, JR was able to get more than 1,000 people to tell stories about their life and how New York City is meaningful to them and what they get out of living here. Some told long stories and some told stories that were brief, and some talked about serious issues and some not as serious.

The epic mural displayed on the enormous walls of the Brooklyn Museum’s first floor is accompanied by audio recordings of each of the New Yorkers that were photographed. A fascinating part of the exhibit was being able to use one of the touch screens to click on a picture of a person who is also on the mural to be able to hear their personal story.

The running audio commentary, which goes from neighborhood to neighborhood throughout the city, has a lot to offer. There was an option to read along while the person was speaking in case their accent was hard to understand, which was helpful in some cases.

The exhibit shows how, after taking everyone’s picture, JR used technology to place their faces on various high-rises across the city. He did this to center ordinary people in spots where there would usually be advertisements with celebrities.

JR photographed college students, train conductors, actors, firefighters, police officers, businesspeople, retail workers, and immigrants. At the Brooklyn Museum, one can look up at the wall and see images of people who all have unique stories to tell about their lives. Everyone is standing or sitting close enough to touch, which speaks to the nature of New York City, where so many people live so near one another.

The JR Chronicles marks the artist’s first major exhibition in North America. Previously, in 2017, JR assembled scaffolding to support an enlarged photograph of a little boy on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border. The memorable image gave the impression that the toddler was peering curiously over the fence.

The following year, JR partnered with TIME magazine to produce their cover story, featuring over 200 Americans who have been impacted by guns, including “hunters and activists, teachers and police officers, parents and children.” His “Guns in America” is now also displayed at the Brooklyn Museum.

This exhibit was part of Brooklyn Falls for France, a “cultural season organized by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and French American Cultural Exchange (FACE) Foundation in partnership with Brooklyn venues.”

Author

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Comments are closed.

READ OUR FULL PRINT EDITION

click here to see our previous issues.

Our Sister Publication

a word from our sponsors!

Latest Media Guide!

Where to find the Star-Revue

Instagram

How many have visited our site?

wordpress hit counter

Social Media

Most Popular

On Key

Related Posts

Special birthday issue – information for advertisers

Author George Fiala George Fiala has worked in radio, newspapers and direct marketing his whole life, except for when he was a vendor at Shea Stadium, pizza and cheesesteak maker in Lancaster, PA, and an occasional comic book dealer. He studied English and drinking in college, international relations at the New School, and in his spare time plays drums and

PS 15’s ACES program a boon for students with special needs, by Laryn Kuchta

At P.S. 15 Patrick F. Daly in Red Hook, staff are reshaping the way elementary schoolers learn educationally and socially. They’ve put special emphasis on programs for students with intellectual disabilities and students who are learning or want to learn a second language, making sure those students have the same advantages and interactions any other child would. P.S. 15’s ACES

Big donors taking an interest in our City Council races

The New York City Council primary is less than three months away, and as campaigns are picking up steam, so are donations. In districts 38 and 39 in South Brooklyn, Incumbents Alexa Avilés (District 38) and Shahana Hanif (District 39) are being challenged by two moderate Democrats, and as we reported last month, big money is making its way into

Wraptor celebrates the start of spring

Red Hook’s Wraptor Restaurant, located at 358 Columbia St., marked the start of spring on March 30. Despite cool weather in the low 50s, more than 50 people showed up to enjoy the festivities. “We wanted to do something nice for everyone and celebrate the start of the spring so we got the permits to have everyone out in front,”