French artist JR has just completed the latest installment of his Wrinkles of the City series in Istanbul. After taking to the streets of cities as distant as Havana, Shanghai, and LA for his ongoing project, JR left his mark on the ancient Turkish metropolis by installing large-scale portraits of elderly residents on the roofs and walls of 15 different buildings.
According to the artist, his striking portrayals of the older generation are meant to reflect the changes in the architecture of the city through decades of upheaval and development. He writes, “[The] Wrinkles of the City project paints a picture of the twentieth century by exploring the lives of those who witnessed their cities become scarred by the course of history, economic growth and socio-cultural changes. Its goal was for the elderly’s personal stories to symbolically confront the walls of their city, and for the city and its inhabitants to confront their wrinkles and the stories of their elderly.”
For anyone keen on discovering the expansive installations in the streets of Istanbul, a map of their different locations can be found here.
