French artist JR revealed giant art installations in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
French artist JR revealed giant art installations in Rio de Janeiro during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
One installation depicts an Olympic diver.
One installation depicts an Olympic diver.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
Another installation depicts a giant figure jumping over a high-rise building.
Another installation depicts a giant figure jumping over a high-rise building.
Mario Tama/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
This installation depicts Ali Mohamed Younes Idris, a Sudanese high jumper who was unable to participate in the 2016 Games due to an injury.
This installation depicts Ali Mohamed Younes Idris, a Sudanese high jumper who was unable to participate in the 2016 Games due to an injury.
JR/JR/JR
"He still came to Rio and jumps over a building in Flamengo," JR says of Idris in an Instagram post.
"He still came to Rio and jumps over a building in Flamengo," JR says of Idris in an Instagram post.
NurPhoto/NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
He has been teasing the project for several weeks on his Instagram account.
He has been teasing the project for several weeks on his Instagram account.
NurPhoto/NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
To date, JR has revealed four massive installations, each of which pay tribute to Olympic athletes: a swimmer in Guanabara Bay, a diver at Barra Beach, a crescent moon atop a residence for artists, and a high-jumper bending back over a building in the Flamengo neighborhood.
To date, JR has revealed four massive installations, each of which pay tribute to Olympic athletes: a swimmer in Guanabara Bay, a diver at Barra Beach, a crescent moon atop a residence for artists, and a high-jumper bending back over a building in the Flamengo neighborhood.
TASSO MARCELO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
This image depicts the swimmer in Guanabara Bay.
This image depicts the swimmer in Guanabara Bay.
Mario Tama/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
Previously, JR created this large-scale installation at Paris' Louvre Museum in May.
JR au Louvre —
Previously, JR created this large-scale installation at Paris' Louvre Museum in May.
Francois Mori/AP
The installation was titled 'JR au Louvre.'
JR au Louvre —
The installation was titled 'JR au Louvre.'
JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images
He covered the museum's glass pyramid -- designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei -- in one of his signature black and white photographs.
JR au Louvre —
He covered the museum's glass pyramid -- designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei -- in one of his signature black and white photographs.
JOEL SAGET/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The installation draws attention to the architecture that lies behind the pyramid.
JR au Louvre —
The installation draws attention to the architecture that lies behind the pyramid.
JOEL SAGET/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
JR's work has been exhibited around the world. His "Women Are Heroes" project photographed women and pasted the images in visible places within their communities, and further afield.
Women Are Heroes —
JR's work has been exhibited around the world. His "Women Are Heroes" project photographed women and pasted the images in visible places within their communities, and further afield.
COURTESY PHAIDON
The project ran from 2008 to 2014, when 2,600 strips of paper featuring the faces of women from around the world were pasted onto a container ship in La Havre, France, before it set sail for Malaysia.
Women Are Heroes —
The project ran from 2008 to 2014, when 2,600 strips of paper featuring the faces of women from around the world were pasted onto a container ship in La Havre, France, before it set sail for Malaysia.
COURTESY PHAIDON
The New York Times commissioned this piece, called "Elmar", for the launch of their Walking New York issue in 2015.
Elmar —
The New York Times commissioned this piece, called "Elmar", for the launch of their Walking New York issue in 2015.
COURTESY PHAIDON
JR and his friend Marco went to the Middle East in 2005 and captured a series of photographs of Palestinian and Israeli people they met on their travels. In 2007, JR paired these photos face to face and plastered the images on walls in cities across Israel and the Palestinian territories. This photo was taken in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
Face to Face —
JR and his friend Marco went to the Middle East in 2005 and captured a series of photographs of Palestinian and Israeli people they met on their travels. In 2007, JR paired these photos face to face and plastered the images on walls in cities across Israel and the Palestinian territories. This photo was taken in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
Courtesy Phaidon
JR showcased 2,500 portraits from around the world to help celebrate the newly refurbished Pantheon in Paris in 2014. Faces lined the floor, walls and exteriors of the secular temple where many famous French people are buried.
Au Pantheon! —
JR showcased 2,500 portraits from around the world to help celebrate the newly refurbished Pantheon in Paris in 2014. Faces lined the floor, walls and exteriors of the secular temple where many famous French people are buried.
COURTESY PHAIDON
JR took this photo of young French-Malian man Ladj Ly's as part of his "Portrait of a Generation" project. At first glance the man looks as though he's pointing a gun, but it is in fact a camera -- the photo challenges the ideas of clichés in visual culture. <br />
Portrait of a Generation —
JR took this photo of young French-Malian man Ladj Ly's as part of his "Portrait of a Generation" project. At first glance the man looks as though he's pointing a gun, but it is in fact a camera -- the photo challenges the ideas of clichés in visual culture.
COURTESY PHAIDON
The "Unframed - Ellis Island" project was a series of installations built within abandoned buildings on Ellis Island. Located next to the Statue of Liberty in New York, the island acted as an entry point into America for millions of immigrants from 1892 to 1954.
Unframed —
The "Unframed - Ellis Island" project was a series of installations built within abandoned buildings on Ellis Island. Located next to the Statue of Liberty in New York, the island acted as an entry point into America for millions of immigrants from 1892 to 1954.
COURTESY PHAIDON
JR created two large works for New York City Ballet's Art Series program, that invites contemporary artists into the Lincoln Center. This image is a massive trompe l'oeil rendering of an eye created with life-size photos of NYCB dancers on the floor of the Promenade.
New York City Ballet —
JR created two large works for New York City Ballet's Art Series program, that invites contemporary artists into the Lincoln Center. This image is a massive trompe l'oeil rendering of an eye created with life-size photos of NYCB dancers on the floor of the Promenade.
COURTESY PHAIDON
Expo 2 Rue is one of JR's earlier projects. After finding a camera in the Paris Metro, the artist began to document his own graffiti as well as the work of other artists. At 17 he began pasting photocopies of these photographs onto outdoor walls, turning the city's streets into open galleries for everyone to see.
Expo 2 Rue —
Expo 2 Rue is one of JR's earlier projects. After finding a camera in the Paris Metro, the artist began to document his own graffiti as well as the work of other artists. At 17 he began pasting photocopies of these photographs onto outdoor walls, turning the city's streets into open galleries for everyone to see.
COURTESY PHAIDON
Can art change the world?

Story highlights

French artist JR has covered the Louvre museum's famous pyramid

The artwork creates the illusion that the pyramid has disappeared

CNN  — 

“I will never forget this day. Today I’m going to make the Louvre Pyramid disappear.”

So announced French street artist, JR, of his invitation from the Louvre museum to wrap their world-famous glass pyramid – designed by Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei – with one of his monumental anamorphic images.

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Who is JR?
03:40 - Source: CNN

“It’s quite crazy being Parisian, passing the pyramid so often, then today realizing I can make changes to it and stick things on top of it to create my work,” he added.

An experienced multimedia artist who first started experimenting with graffiti at just 13-years of age, JR is best known for his large-scale photographic collages of people, which have graced the walls and floors of public spaces in cities across the world.

His images are personal and extremely close up and cleverly disguise the true representation of the picture in its details – like the ‘gun’ in his famous portrait of French-Malian man, Ladj Ly.

“Whether it be the Middle East, the favelas of Rio, slums of Kenya, New York, Le Havre or Shanghai, JR’s works leave no one indifferent, because they return our gaze and cut to the very heart of our innermost selves,” the Louvre says of his work.