JR's colossal Olympic athletes appear in Rio skyline
French street artist JR unveiled two monumental trompe-l'oeil installations in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games. The works, revealed on his Instagram account, depict an athlete mid-high jump and a diver suspended in mid-air, supported by scaffolding. The high jumper is Mohamed Younes Idriss, a 27-year-old Sudanese athlete who failed to qualify for the Olympics but is now represented in Rio. The diver appears to be plunging into Guanabara Bay. JR described the technique as new, requiring over a year of preparation. This marks his return to Rio, where he previously created the "Women Are Heroes" project in the favelas of Morro da Providência in 2008, featuring monumental portraits of women's faces.
Key facts
- JR unveiled two colossal installations in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics.
- The works show a high jumper and a diver, created using scaffolding and trompe-l'oeil.
- The high jumper is Mohamed Younes Idriss, a Sudanese athlete who did not qualify for the Olympics.
- The diver appears to be diving into Guanabara Bay.
- JR said the technique required over a year of work.
- JR previously worked in Rio in 2008 on the 'Women Are Heroes' project in Morro da Providência.
- The installations were revealed on JR's Instagram account.
- The high jumper installation is located in a residential area in central Rio.
Entities
Artists
- JR
Locations
- Rio de Janeiro
- Brazil
- Morro da Providência
- Colonia
- Germany
- Sudan
- Guanabara Bay