Source: Inside Out Project
In 2011, when French street artist JR won the TED Prize, he made a wish to “use art to turn the world inside out”. Since then, the Inside Out Project (IOP) has become the world’s biggest cooperative project. The idea is simple, if you have a cause or a statement, take photos of the people who have the same wishes as you, send them to IOP and they will print them out as posters and send them back to you. IOP enables everyone to use art to speak up and make a change, and all you need is posters and glue.
Vancouver, of course, isn’t absent in this project. In 2012, to commemorate March 21st, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Vancouver School Board initiated “Inside Out: Stories of Identity Project,” highlighting the importance of honoring diversity in the school communities.
“The Inside Out project will provide an opportunity for the students who feel invisible, marginalized, undervalued, and silenced to feel visible, validated and empowered. Through story writing and photographs, the INSIDE OUT: Stories of Identity project will invite elementary and secondary students to share their personal lived experiences, family immigration stories and the unique aspects of their identity of which they are most proud,” said Angela Brown, the Vancouver Board of Education’s Anti-racism & Diversity Mentor.
This is the only IOP in Vancouver so far. Perhaps we need more of it. If you feel the city has a lack of color; if you wish to change the look of your community, or you want to create something that makes people stop and think, “Inside Out: The People’s Project” might be a humble start, but it sure makes a difference in people’s lives.
Additional Information Regarding JR:
JR 2011 TED Prize Speech
JR 2012: One Year of Turning the World Inside Out
Get Involved with JR! You can register and receive latest news of JR to volunteer or support in other ways when he visits your city.
Murality 