Now on view in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) Roberts Family Gallery, The Chronicles of San Francisco is a digital mural, presented on a giant wall of screens. Images of hundreds of average San Franciscans stream by, like one might encounter walking down a crowded city street. In 2018, JR set up his mobile studio at 22 sites all over San Francisco. Almost twelve hundred people stepped off the streets to speak with the artist and share their stories. The result is a unique portrait of a city, comprised of intimate portraits of its citizens.
Named one of Time's 100 most influential people of 2018, JR has skyrocketed to international fame in the past two decades. Born in 1983 in France, JR, whose true identity remains unknown, began working guerilla-stye, pasting his large-scale photographs, often close-up portraits, on walls in Paris. Originally graffiti, his works were so beloved they became sanctioned by the City of Paris. The artist soon realized the power his work could have and has since brought his message of elevating and connecting people to global audiences.