JR Honors Refugee Children in First Perrotin London Exhibition

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Perrotin marks the debut of its new London space with Outposts, a solo exhibition by acclaimed French artist JR. The show amplifies the voices of refugee children worldwide, transforming the freshly minted white cube into a striking display of small to large-scale portraits. Spanning 350 square meters, the gallery sits in the heart of Mayfair, adjacent to Claridge’s ArtSpace Café.

A significant portion of the exhibition draws from JR’s 2022 Déplacé·e·s series, which captures displaced youths in his signature black-and-white aesthetic. These children, forced from their homes by war or political upheaval, appear in portraits JR took during his travels to regions grappling with poverty, including Greece, Turin, Colombia, Rwanda and Mauritania. From this body of work, 120 aerial photographs were enlarged into banners—many portraying children in moments of joy, an intentional contrast to the harsh realities of their environments.

Another key highlight is Les Enfants d’Ouranos (Children of Ouranos), an extension of Déplacé·e·s, also featured in Outposts. The series references Ouranos, the primordial Greek god of the sky, likening JR’s subjects to celestial figures. “Negatives of each photograph are transferred onto reclaimed wood and reinforced with black ink for contrast,” the gallery explains. “The children become glowing silhouettes, evoking classical depictions of divinity.”

Outposts runs through May 3, 2025.

Perrotin London
Claridge’s, Brook Street
London W1K 4HR.

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2025-03-18 22:30