French artist JR is known for mounting monumental photographic installations around the world, from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the palazzos of Rome, where he currently has a piece adorning the facade of the French Embassy in Palazzo Farnese. His Inside Out project, which fosters community connection through the display of black-and-white portraits of locals, has traveled to 138 countries and exhibited 415,938 portraits over the course of ten years and counting.
This week, from October 3, 2021 until October 8, 2021, the Inside Out photo booth truck will be parked at 40th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., you can stop by to have your portrait taken. Portraits are printed immediately and will be pasted onto a 40-foot-tall, 600-foot stretch of wall at the Port Authority Bus Terminal as part of the Inside Out: NY Together installation. The completed gallery is expected to exhibit portraits of more than 1,200 individuals. It’s being presented by the Garment District Alliance in cooperation with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and is one of 14 new public art installations debuting in New York City this month.
“As we continue to welcome New Yorkers and visitors back to our city, we are so proud to launch Inside Out: NY Together in the Garment District to honor the strength and resiliency of New York City and celebrate the diversity of our communities,” Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance, said in a statement. “This unique project will shine a spotlight on the amazing, everyday people of the Garment District and our city, who contribute to the iconic character, vibrancy and heartbeat that is felt all over the world. We encourage all to stop by, have your photo taken, and be a part of this truly special initiative.”
Previously, JR’s Inside Out project came to Times Square and Fordham University. He has also created a site-specific installation on Ellis Island and massive murals on the Bowery, in Lincoln Center, and in Williamsburg, among other New York neighborhoods.
Next, check out 10 other art installations by JR in New York City!
