French artist JR, one of the most prominent figures in contemporary art, internationally renowned for his projects that blend photography, public art, and social engagement is heading to Naples.
On May 21st at 12:00 PM, the new project ‘Who Are You, Naples?’ will be presented at the Gallerie d’Italia in Via Toledo, the Intesa Sanpaolo museum in Naples. This marks the eighth chapter of the ‘Chronicles’ series, which—following Clichy-Montfermeil (2017), San Francisco (2018), New York (2018), Miami (2022), Kyoto (2024), three U.S. cities (Dallas, Saint Louis, and Washington DC) for a mural on the theme of gun violence in America (2018), and fifteen cities across Cuba (2019)—now arrives in Naples with the first installation of its kind in Italy, created under the patronage of the Municipality of Naples.
The site-specific work by JR will be unveiled on May 21 at 7PM on the façade of the Naples Cathedral, “Cattedrale di San Gennaro,” which will be transformed into a mosaic of local faces—embodying the community spirit, resilience, energy, and multifaceted soul of the city.
In September 2024, French artist JR began a deep exploration of Naples’ complex cultural identity. Over the course of one week, from 23 to 29 September, the citizens of seven neighborhoods took center stage, with photo sets set up in Piazza Sanità, Piazza Dante, Fuorigrotta, Mergellina, San Giovanni a Teduccio, Piazza Cavour, and the Borgo di Sant’Antonio.
During this intense period, portraits and stories of 606 Neapolitans from diverse social and cultural backgrounds were collected, capturing the very essence of Naples. Had the project taken place a week earlier or later, it would have been entirely different. It is made of the people who were there, in that moment.
The result of JR’s work is a monumental photographic collage on the façade of the Naples Cathedral, and its composition is narrated in an exhibition at the Intesa Sanpaolo’s Gallerie d’Italia in Via Toledo, where visitors can also experience the “behind the scenes” of the project. The exhibition will also feature three murals from the ‘Chronicles’ series, created in France (Chroniques de Clichy-Montfermeil), Cuba (Las Crónicas de Cuba), and the USA (The Gun Chronicles: A Story of America), showcasing how JR’s art can spark conversation and create a powerful visual impact.
Naples, with its contrasting character – refined and rough, poetic and chaotic, suspended between the sea and the volcano – has proven to be an ideal setting for this collective narrative. The women and men who took part in the project – pizza makers, firefighters, police officers, priests, writers, musicians, tourists, grandmothers, students, and even the mayor – chose how they wanted to be portrayed and told their stories in either Italian or Neapolitan. All portraits were taken with the same lighting, giving equal dignity to each participant. Audio recordings are available at jrchronicles.net.
JR has a personal connection with Naples and its culture: his studio in SoHo, New York, is just a few blocks from Mulberry Street, the heart of the Italian-American community and home to the Feast of San Gennaro. In 2014, he created Unframed on Ellis Island, pasting historical images of immigrants – many of them Neapolitan – on the walls of the island’s former hospital. With the short film Ellis, starring Robert De Niro, JR paid tribute to the many who left Naples in search of a new life in America.
Through Who Are You, Naples?, JR invites everyone to reflect on how they would like to be remembered. This work – blending art and participation, past and present – aims to spark new conversations, foster unexpected encounters, and offer the city a portrait in which every resident can recognize themselves.
On May 21st at 4PM, artist JR will meet visitors for a catalog signing, followed by a free preview opening of the exhibition starting at 5:00 PM.
Along with Gallerie d’Italia in Milan, Turin and Vicenza, Gallerie d’Italia Naples is part of the Intesa Sanpaolo’s museum project, led by Michele Coppola, Executive Director of Art, Culture & Heritage at the Bank.
JR, ‘Who Are You, Naples?’ Gallerie d’Italia – Naples | Via Toledo, 177 Naples
Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 7 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 8 pm; closed Mondays; last entrance: an hour before closing time PRICES: full €7, reduced €4, free entrance for members, schools, under 18 year-olds, Intesa Sanpaolo Group customers.INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS: http://www.gallerieditalia.com, napoli@gallerieditalia.com
The exhibition catalog is published by Società Editrice Allemandi.
