French artist JR has installed giant Olympic athlete installations around Rio in honor of the upcoming Rio Olympic Games.
The two installations interact with the environment they were constructed for. One installation features an athlete completing a high jump over a tall apartment building. The second installation features a swimmer diving into the ocean. JR built scaffolding to serve as the support for the cut-out photographs of the athletes. The artist creates a juxtaposition between the cold rigidity of the scaffolding with the fluidity of the athletes' motions.
The high jumper was modeled after Mohamed Younes Idriss, an Olympian from Sudan. While Idriss didn't qualify for the 2016 Rio Games, he will still be in Rio through JR's installation. JR spent nearly a year planning the design of the two installations.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Giant Athlete Installations
- The trend of creating giant athlete installations in urban environments for artistic and promotional purposes.
- Environmental Interactive Art
- The trend of creating interactive art installations that interact with and enhance the natural environment.
- Juxtaposition of Materials
- The trend of using contrasting materials, such as scaffolding and cut-out photographs, to create visually striking artworks.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Art and Design
- The art and design industry can explore new avenues for creating large-scale installations that capture public attention and promote events or causes.
- Urban Development
- The urban development industry can incorporate interactive art installations into urban spaces to enhance public spaces and engage with the community.
- Event Promotion
- Event promotion companies can utilize giant athlete installations as a unique and eye-catching marketing tool to generate excitement and awareness for sporting events.
