I met my dear friend @JR around 2008 in London. I have been a huge fan of his work since the very beginning, but even more than that, I’ve always admired him for his deep humanity, his vision, and his grounded nature - traits that also consistently stand out in every project he carries out.
In 2010, we collaborated in downtown LA during the “Eurotrash” project - we did an artwork combining JR’s photographic paste-up technique with bas-relief carving, depicting an individual he had photographed in Morro da Providência, Rio de Janeiro. Later on, we also kept returning to Morro da Providência for several different projects. Shout-out to @casaamarelaprovidencia - a social project created by JR that became a creative hub in the heart of Brazilian’s oldest favela. It was there that we continued working side by side, bringing art into the community by highlighting its people: JR through large-scale photographic installations of residents (remember the iconic Women Are Heroes project?), and myself by carving their faces into the walls.
Now in 2025, we are cooking something up that you’ll be hearing about very soon. For me, personally and artistically, JR has always been a source of inspiration and a powerful reminder that art truly can change the world.
Great to have you in Portugal and at @underdogs_gallery, bro @JR.
#vhils #alexandrefarto #alexandrefartoakavhils #contemporaryart #urbanart #jr #art
