The well-known French artist JR will be creating his first “GIANTS” artwork in Asia from the 13th of March through the 23rd of April 2023 at Ocean Terminal Deck, which is the largest retail mall in Hong Kong. The artwork will be titled “GIANTS: Rising Up.” The enormous piece of artwork portrays a high jumper that is larger than life floating in mid-air near the famed Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. The high jumper’s body is bending elegantly, and she has her head turned back to see the spectacular cityscape.
After an absence of ten years, the internationally renowned artist JR, who has accumulated more than 1.7 million followers on Instagram, has returned to Hong Kong with his monumental art project. This installation, which is 12 metres high and 12 metres broad, engages in a deft conversation with its surroundings. The athlete who does the high jump looks to leap off the ground and appears to enjoy the feeling of falling freely. JR says that this athletic gesture “is an invitation to take off, to achieve more, in reference to the GIANTS installation at the 2016 Rio Olympics.” The GIANTS installation depicted three unknown athletes making perfect gestures across the city and was well received by the public. JR says that this athletic gesture “is an invitation to take off, to achieve more.”
The renowned black-and-white pictures are stretched out on canvas and then attached to the intricately arranged scaffolding to create the enormous piece. Instead of depending solely on metal scaffolding, JR has given this piece of art a uniquely Hong Kong flavour by using a traditional kind of architectural craftsmanship known as bamboo scaffolding for the very first time.
JR is well-known for the oversized black and white installations of his deep optical illusion art and photography installations that he places in public settings in order to involve members of the community. His paintings have been displayed in over 40 locations throughout the world, with more than 80 stunning shows. Some of these cities and exhibitions include the Musée du Louvre in Paris, Palazzo Farnese in Rome, the Pyramid of Khafre in Giza, and many others.