A global art project, “Inside Out” featuring large-format portraits has continued to build momentum since it beginnings in 2011 and shows no signs of slowing down. The people’s art project as it’s known has most recently become a symbolic tool allowing protestors to express themselves and stand in solidarity in Paris, NYC and Mexico. 

At the 2011 TED conference French artist JR asked a simple question, Can art change the world? With that he launched  the Inside Out project and gave away his process for creating the sizable pastings, allowing thousands to share their messages of struggle and healing with the world.

With over 200,000 portraits pasted in over 900 locations and 117 countries it has become the largest participatory art project in the world, showing us the power of an image to raise awareness and provoke dialogue. People all over the world have emphatically answered yes to the artist’s original question.

A documentary tracked the evolution of the project in it's first year. Covering Tunisia, South Dakota, and everywhere in between, ‘Inside out: The People's Art Project’ shows the journey of unlikely activists finding power in their own images. The film that premiered at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival was also retooled in to a curriculum for the Tribeca Film Institute.

Today we celebrate the most impactful images of Inside Out:

Mexico City, Mexico – A campaign to find the missing students of Mexico City. We did the massive pasting of “MéxicoEstadoCriminal” in a very large public space, to pressure the government to find the missing students.

Berlin, Germany — A camapign at the RUssian Embassy for equal rights for the LGBT communities in Belarus and Moscow. They have been met with violence and discrimination from their governments, religious leaders, and right-wing skinhead groups.

Mangochi, Malawi— A campaign to reveal the faces and stories of the people working on the frontline in Malawi’s food and fishing economies. To highlight some of the challenges faced by these workers at a time of change in the country.

Tunis, Tunisia—   This action took place within just after the removal of the Dictator Ben Ali. These people represent the different faces of the Tunisian society, people that agree to live with mutual respect for others. 

New York, US—In the wake of the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York City and Delbert Rodriguez Gutierrez in Miami, the Inside Out team took eyes of all three to the Millions March in New York to bring healing and awareness to the deaths of black and brown men in the Unites States.

North Dakota— We are the Lakota Tribe. We still exist.

Undisclosed Location, Pakistan— A campaign to stop drone strikes in Pakistan that have killed thousands, including 160 children. #Notabugsplat

North Pole —The eyes of the world, at the top of the world, watching over the world: over a thousand portraits of members of the #savethearctic movement make up a giant eye on the North Pole, in a statement of defiance against destructive industry in the Arctic.

Tehran, Iran— A campaign for human rights for women

USA, nationwide - A nationwide initiative to create a more accurate portrait of America that includes immigrants

Antwerp, Belgium - A campaign asking for clean air in Flanders, Belgium.

London, England – A demonstration against the privatization of healthcare.

Baladan, Turkey (Syrian border to Kobani) – A campaign to bring attention to the refugees on the Syrian – Turkish border. 

Paris, France – Following the unjust killing of journalists and staff in the  offices of Charlie Hebdo, nearly 2 million people marched in Paris for peace and the end of terrorism, including members of the JR team who walked with the eyes of Stéphane Charbonnier. #JeSuisCharlie