Anonymous Guerilla Photographer wins 100K TED prize

No, not someone who photographs gorillas, although that would be admirable too. Guerilla photography is sort of like graffiti, except better.

A 27 year old anonymous photographer, known as JR, prints massive portraits and glues them onto the sides of buildings. And trains. And just about anything else. But they aren’t just any portraits. They are portraits of “anonymous heros”, everyday people, disenfranchised people. The portraits are intended to bring awareness of these anonymous heros to the street. The street is not confronted with the portraits, the portraits are confronted with the street. He started in Paris and his project has expanded all over the world including places where one could get arrested or kidnapped for putting up such “confrontational” images without any sort of authorization.

In bringing forth the plight of anonymous heros everywhere, he became one himself. And won $100K and the admiration of his peers. Photography has long been used as a tool for social change. But what impresses me with JR is not only the idea, but his execution of the idea. Gutsy!

You can find out more about JR on TED or on his website.