French photographer revives Kenyan slum with their own smiling portraits

TRAILER "WOMEN ARE HEROES"
Uploaded by JR

French photographer JR recently completed an ambitious art project within the slums of Kibera in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Across almost 2,500 square yards of rooftops, he installed giant portraits of women from the neighborhood. A train runs through this section of Kibera, so JR also plastered the roofs and sides of some of the cars with pictures of the women’s eyes. Photographs of the rest of their smiling faces cover the slope that leads down from the tracks. The result: For a brief moment as the train passes, the eyes align with the smiles, completing a full portrait. And the photos are practical as well as beautiful. JR used water-resistant vinyl materials to protect the fragile houses during heavy rains.

Moving portraits