Challenging Tradition Around The World: JR

JR.(2009) 28 Millimetres: Women Are Heroes,

Action in Kibera Slum, General View, Kenya

http://www.jr-art.net/projects/women-are-heroes-africa

This week I would like to talk about the work of photographer JR (http://www.jr-art.net/), an artist whose work I feel connected to because of how he challenges the relationships between the viewer and the subjects of the work, as well as the intricate psychology behind it.

Initially, I thought I was going to use JR's work to talk about the roles photography can serve… then I thought maybe I would talk about the role of the viewer… but his work encompasses so many different, and amazing, discussion points I think I am just going to go where the wind takes me on this one.

 JR is a French artist who uses his photographs to raise questions, confront issues, and engage viewers. He has travelled all around the world creating large-scale, black and white photography which he then pastes on buildings, walls, roof tops, etc…  Initially small in scale, his “sidewalk galleries” have become much, much more.  Much of his current work highlights the under-appreciated and/or unseen inhabitants of the places he visits. He shows the faces, and provides spaces, for the voices of the people, beyond the conflicts, negative reputations, and news images.  It is work rich in meaning and message.

I do not think I have mentioned it here yet, but I teach students who are in the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) at my school.  The pedagogical approach of the IB programme focuses on international mindedness and “intellectual challenge; encouraging students to make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and to the real world.” (International Baccalaureate Organization.(2014) What is the IB Middle Years Programme? Retrieved from http://www.ibo.org/myp/)

JR.(2007) Face2Face: Israel & Palestine,
Separation Wall, Palestinian Side In Bethlehem
http://www.jr-art.net/projects/face-2-face

I think JRs photographic installations would be highly appropriate to an issue-based, IB curriculum (an MEQ curriculum as well!)  and would provide a wonderful opportunity for students to engage with not only a variety of art and photography centered issues; but also, to investigate issues from around the world.  There would be a strong potential for interdisciplinary units of study if joined with the Quebec Ethics, Religion and Culture class.  Not only could this type of partnership enrich the discussion, once you are in the classroom you quickly realized that time is short supply, and if you have the opportunity to share class time with another subject it will only benefit the students in the end!

I like the idea of looking at the bigger picture of world issues, then bringing the conversation back home and challenging the students to create photo installations to deal with those issues in their own schools or communities. Has anyone tried something like this? How did it go? What was successful / challenging?