Street Artist Jr Creates Incredible Optical Illusion To “Crack Open” Shuttered Art Museum

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In a time when many museums are still shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public art has become even more important in keeping us connected to culture. French artist JR‘s newest installation in Florence pays homage to great classical works of art that have gone unseen and unappreciated for the better part of a year. Entitled La Ferita (meaning “The Wound” in Italian), this massive photo collage is installed on the façade of the Palazzo Strozzi and references the adversities that cultural institutions—including museums, libraries, and cinemas—have faced over the past year.

Measuring 28 meters high and 33 meters wide, this optical illusion creates a “crack” in the exterior of the building so that viewers can see masterpieces like Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera. It was installed as Italy entered another lockdown that will last until April 6, closing the doors of all cultural institutions once again. At the same time, the installation of La Ferita also launches a new public art initiative for the city by the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and philanthropist Andy Bianchedi.

“They say the museums are closed, but it's up to us to open them. Here is Florence, the city of Boticelli, Donatello, Machiavel, and Dante, we opened the Palazzo Strozzi,” JR says of the piece on his Instagram. “These last few months, we have been deprived of the possibility to be together… but we still have the freedom to dream, to create, to envision the future. Maybe it's not much, but we have that!”

JR's artwork expresses a loss that many have felt since cultural institutions have been closed (or limited in capacity). “What all these lockdowns have shown us very clearly is that people are hungry for culture. They want to access exhibitions, museums, libraries, theaters, cinemas, to have culture back as a fundamental part of their lives,” says Arturo Galansino, the museum director of Palazzo Strozzi. “We want this work to be seen as an invitation to rediscover a direct relationship with art and to explore new forms of sharing and participation—a call to action for art and culture in this difficult moment.”

La Ferita will be on view at the Palazzo Strozzi until August 22, 2021. You can learn more about the installation by visiting JR's portfolio and keep up to date with the artist's latest projects by following him on Instagram.