Back in 2006, large scale, startling posters appeared on the walls and street corners of Paris. They showed faces – mostly black faces – contorted into outlandish grimaces, with teeth bared, nostrils flared, eyes crossed. The photos were the work of a Paris street artist who wanted people to confront stereotypes. His giant photos asked passers-by an in-your-face question: “When you see a kid from the housing projects, do you see a bogeyman?”

Almost exactly a year ago, when riots broke out in France’s troubled suburban housing projects, news reports broadcast countless photos of hooded youths setting fire to cars. JR thought about those images, the stereotypes they reinforced and how he could use photography to bring a different message.

“After the riots, Parisians viewed suburban kids as extraterrestrials,” JR said in an interview in his Paris studio. “On television, you always saw them wearing masks. People said, ‘Those kids are all the same. Everybody who comes from those areas took part in the riots.’ Everybody was afraid of them, and so I decided to take pictures of them looking like monsters or extraterrestrials.”

The 25-year-old photographer, who has a large following at home and abroad, is also part graffiti artist and performance artist. Usually, he has to hide from police as he plasters his work illegally on buildings at night, which is why he keeps his identity anonymous. His work is amazing, not only for the scale of the imagery but also for the context of their environments. Part installation, part photography and part graffiti of spirit.

I recently read about him in the March issue of Marie Claire magazine. His recent posting of photos in Africa, Asian and South Africa celebrate the strength and courage of women who live in places where they are often targets in wartime – and discriminated against in times of peace. As an example, he worked with local residents to post photos of women’s eyes across favela Morro da Providencia in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  in honor of International Women’s Day, March 8th. See below images.

In addition are some more Women are Heroes images but located across the ocean in Brussels. Check out the entire show across the world online at: http://www.28millimetres.com/women/

In closing: “The photos have a lot of messages,” JR said. “But the main one is: ‘Look at me, I exist, I’m larger than life.”

Indeed.

Thank you JR for your visual brilliance.