JR

 


Giants- Kikito, 2017

US/México Border, Tecate

September - October 2017

On Wednesday, September 6, 2017 JR revealed the installation of Kikito on the US/Mexico border. The immense image is of a one-year old boy from the city of Tecate, Mexico who looks playfully over the infamous border wall. This is a binational artwork that sits in Mexico but is best viewed from the United States. Regrettably, Kikito and his family cannot cross the border to see the artwork from the intended vantage point in the USA. The installation received tremendous media attention globally. The artwork drew crowds to the remote site where people gathered on both sides of the border and interacted by taking pictures of each other to post on social media. This interaction and exchange inspired JR to organize a picnic on both sides of the border on October 8, musicians played in concert on both sides of the border, food was served. A picture was taking by drone of the festivities, resulting in the image of the face of a dreamer bisected by the border wall.    

At a time of heightened social and political polarization, when divisive rhetoric fuels overtly discriminatory immigration policies and gives rise to public demonstrations of hate, it is heartening to see an artwork that in a grand yet simple gesture serves to bring people together. The politics and statistics surrounding immigration tend to overshadow the individuals most affected by them. In contrast the image of Kikito humanizes the issue, reminding us of those most impacted by ranting politicians and discrimination. Building community, empowering others and humanizing complex issues are the hallmarks of JR’s practice. Based on human contact and the power of the image his work enables public dialogue about immigration in communities that rarely have access to art. 

 

Curator: Pedro Alonzo

IG @jr / www.jr-art.net