JR installs 40-meter portrait of Ukrainian girl Valeriia in Venice
French artist JR has installed a 40-meter photographic portrait of Valeriia, a five-year-old Ukrainian girl who fled the war with her mother, at Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice. The image, originally captured by photographer Artem Iurchenko, shows Valeriia smiling and has become a symbol of resistance and hope. The public artwork, created in collaboration with La Biennale di Venezia, was unveiled on April 13, 2022, and will be on view during the 2022 Venice Biennale. After previous displays in Lviv, Paris, Düsseldorf, and Berlin, the Venice installation involved numerous volunteers and was documented by drones. JR is known for large-scale social and cultural projects, including 2020's Omelia Contadina in San Gimignano and works on Palazzo Strozzi in Florence and Palazzo Farnese in Rome.
Key facts
- JR installed a 40-meter portrait of Ukrainian girl Valeriia at Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice.
- Valeriia, age 5, fled Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, with her mother during the war.
- The photograph was taken by Artem Iurchenko.
- The artwork was created in collaboration with La Biennale di Venezia.
- It was unveiled on April 13, 2022.
- Previous installations took place in Lviv, Paris, Düsseldorf, and Berlin.
- The work is visible during the 2022 Venice Biennale.
- JR previously created Omelia Contadina in San Gimignano (2020) and works at Palazzo Strozzi and Palazzo Farnese.
Entities
Artists
- JR
- Artem Iurchenko
Institutions
- La Biennale di Venezia
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Riva degli Schiavoni
- Kryvyi Rih
- Ukraine
- Lviv
- Paris
- France
- Düsseldorf
- Germany
- Berlin
- San Gimignano
- Florence
- Rome