JR’s local connection

The famed French muralist JR has had three installations here in the neighborhood — all on the wall that was behind what is now 100 Franklin. He is one of the most prolific street artists, so even if you missed those, you’ve seen his work elsewhere in the city no doubt. One of my faves is shown in a time-lapse video below, from the Flatiron.

Now (I am proud to say) there’s another Tribeca connection to his work: longtime Tribecan Dallas Brennan Rexer produced PAPER & GLUE — a new documentary film about JR’s work. It’s up at the Angelika through Nov. 18 and there’s a Q&A with JR tonight. Tickets here. 

“It’s a real humanist love letter — uplifting, surprising, and re-affirming. I promise you’ll leave the theater feeling good about the world, or at least a little better,” Dallas wrote in an email.

This seemed like a good time to review those pieces in photos from the archives. The ballerina was installed in 2015; the immigrant children in 2017; and the falling dancer was from 2018 at Hudson and Spring.

Maybe Dallas can get us a JR for the Washington Market Park retaining wall…

 

9 Comments

  1. a JR mural would look incredible in Washington Market Park!

  2. And…Paper & Glue was edited by Keiko Deguchi, a longtime resident and fellow 234 family. Fittingly, it debuted at Tribeca Film Festival – saw it and loved it!

  3. I have followed his work for several years. he has done amazing projects all over the world. I had no idea that he did these local works! Thanks for posting.

  4. The developers behind 100 Franklin, I believe, were supposed to renovate the plaza between Franklin and White, on 6th Avenue. I remember reading about it years ago right here in TC. Can that be verified? Can I also say that I miss the murals that were up and are now buried behind the new construction?

  5. JR Documentary is airing on MSNBC tonight.

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