JR: The Chronicles of New York City

Over the past fifteen years, French artist JR has emerged as a powerful storyteller, using primarily photographic murals and other public art to honor the voices of everyday people and connect diverse communities around the world. The Chronicles of New York City is an epic mural of more than one thousand New Yorkers that is accompanied by audio recordings of each person’s story.

In the summer of 2018, JR and his team spent a month roaming all five boroughs of New York City, parking their 53-foot-long trailer truck in numerous locations, and taking photographs of passersby who wished to participate. Each was photographed in front of a green screen, and then the images were collaged into a New York City setting featuring architectural landmarks. The participants chose how they wanted to be represented and were asked to share their stories, which are now available on a free mobile app. The resulting mural, The Chronicles of New York City, premiered at the Museum in 2019 as part of the exhibition JR: Chronicles (October 4, 2019–October 18, 2020).

JR: The Chronicles of New York City is curated by Sharon Matt Atkins, Director of Exhibitions and Strategic Initiatives, and Drew Sawyer, Phillip Leonian and Edith Leonian Curator, Photography, Brooklyn Museum.