JR creates monumental portrait of Nika Shahkarami in New York protest against Iranian regime

French street artist JR orchestrated a participatory performance in New York City, creating a massive portrait of 16-year-old Iranian Nika Shahkarami, who died after burning her hijab during protests. Over 300 people assembled at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms State Park on Roosevelt Island to form the portrait, which was photographed from above. The work is part of the #EyesOnIran initiative, a series of multimedia installations at the park facing the United Nations, coinciding with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. JR received the photograph from Shahkarami's aunt, as images of the teenager had been removed from social media. The same participatory artwork was previously staged in Brazil three weeks earlier, and JR plans to bring it to other cities worldwide. The performance amplifies the ongoing protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini nearly three months ago, with demonstrators chanting "Woman, Life, Freedom." Despite executions, hundreds of deaths, and over 14,000 arrests, protests continue. JR stated that artists often ask how they can help just causes, especially for women in Iran. The project aims to pressure the UN to take more responsibility in stopping the violence, as international calls for intervention have been weak. Other artists, including Shirin Neshat at the Met, have also used their work to maintain attention on Iran.