On Sunday, December 4, 2022, artist JR revealed a new work to support Iranian women’s struggle against religious obscurantism.
In the middle of an alley, a face emerges from the asphalt and looks away. We see his face in profile. His eyes are closed. Her ebony hair moves in the wind. He is never fixed. Despite the cold, a gaggle of individuals warm up collectively for a moment of commemoration and protest.
Whose face is this whose aura hovers like a perfume? After stepping on the Giza plateau in Egypt on the occasion of the contemporary art festival Forever is now, JR unveils a new original and committed work. Her new assignment is for Iranian women. To protest the regime in Tehran, JR stuck a photograph on the ground.
This shot is that of Nika Shakarami. Nika was 16 when he decided to protest against the regime after the death of Mahsa Amini. Nika is also 16 when her death catches up with her. You will have paid the price of freedom. She was beaten to death by the police, her body will only be found much later. Her family will only see her face again for a few seconds during a visit to the morgue.
Nika Shakarami was not allowed a public funeral. Here, JR honors him in touching work. It was the girl’s aunt who sent JR the photograph of her niece. It was one of the last photographs Nika posted on social media. Today it has been removed.
It took about a hundred volunteers to carry out this project, who came to style the hair on Nika Shakarami’s face, giving her a second life.
The location was carefully chosen: opposite the island, the headquarters of the United Nations. This work will promote the Eyes on Iran campaign in which Iranian women campaign to promote Iran’s exclusion from the United Nations Commission.
JR renewed his support for the Iranians’ fighting on Instagram: “It’s not over until the Iranian people say it’s over.”
