Tecate (Art Installation)
JR's towering portrait of a child peering over the US-Mexico border wall — a global symbol of the immigration debate.
In 2017, JR visited the Mexican city of Tecate in response to the news that the U.S. intended to build a permanent wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. There, he created a gigantic installation of Kikito, a toddler whose house in Tecate overlooks the fence. The installation shows Kikito playfully peeking over the border barrier to see what lies on the other side. On the final day of the installation, JR organized a picnic around a long table that stretched across both sides of the fence. The table showed the eyes of a Dreamer. For a few hours, the division disappeared. (Source: jr-art.net)
- Year
- 2017
- Hunter's role
- Cinematographer
- Director
- JR
- Type
- Art Installation
- Runtime
- ~1 month on-site (September 6 – October 8, 2017)
- Countries
- USA / Mexico (US-Mexico border near Tecate, ~1 hour southeast of San Diego. Installation on Mexican side, best viewed from U.S. side)
Collaborators
- JR — Artist, Filmmaker, Photographer. Based in Paris and New York.
- Eyal Levy — International Producer, Artist, Cinematographer.
- Marc Azoulay — JR Studio Director
- Sol Guy
Awards
No traditional awards. Became one of the most globally recognized and viral artworks of the decade. Covered by The New Yorker, New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Dezeen, and dozens more. Featured prominently in the Paper & Glue film (Tribeca 2021, Emmy-nominated). Exhibited at Brooklyn Museum, Saatchi Gallery London, Perrotin Gallery NYC.
Festivals
On-site installation: September 6 – October 8, 2017 (~1 month) • Gigantic Picnic Across the Border: October 8, 2017 (final day) • Featured in Paper & Glue film (Tribeca 2021) • Exhibited at Brooklyn Museum 'JR: Chronicles' (2019–2020) • Saatchi Gallery, London • Perrotin Gallery, New York ('Horizontal' exhibition, 2018)
Real-world impact
Became one of the most globally recognized artworks addressing immigration in the Trump era. Went viral within hours, drawing crowds from both countries to a remote border location where people interacted through the fence. The Gigantic Picnic Across the Border (October 8, 2017) physically united hundreds of people from the US and Mexico — sharing food, water, and music through the border fence. Humanized the immigration debate through the innocence of a child. Kikito's mother: 'This is my son being the face of all those children, of all of us.' Curator Pedro Alonzo: 'At a time of heightened social and political polarization, it is heartening to see an artwork that in a grand yet simple gesture serves to bring people together.' Created in direct response to Trump's DACA repeal (Sept 2017) affecting 800,000 Dreamers. The image became a lasting symbol in the immigration debate, referenced globally in media and academic contexts.