We’re thrilled beyond words to learn that Parisian street artist JR will receive the annual TED $100,000 prize for his global street art. JR lives here on Anne of Carversville, because he gives larger-than-life eyes and souls to the masses of humanity living in slums around the world.

The New York Times explains that the six-year-old prize is used typically in a larger fundraising effort to cast a global eye, and philanthropy pocketbooks, on the artists’ objectives.

JR says he has never applied for any prize or award in his life and is stunned to learn of this prestigious honor. Notoriously not-corporate and unwilling to contaminate his work with sponsor messages, JR has come to trust the people at TED.

“If there’s one thing I’ve always taken care of with my work, it’s that it’s never an advertisement for anything other than the work itself and for the people it’s about — no ‘Coca-Cola presents,’ ” he said, speaking in English. “I think the TED people knew that that was one of my main concerns, and I feel pretty sure that we can come up with a project that works that way.” via New York Times

TED’s Amy Novogratz, the director of the prize, said that it’s believed that the work of JR can galvanize the entire TED community in support of larger art projects, which will be announced at the 2011 TED conference.

JR’s ‘Women Are Heroes’Global Art Project

We first met up with JR via his ‘Women Are Heroes’ experience, the largest public art installation in Paris in years. While JR focuses many people and situations, and almost always in slums or places of decay, he has given a presence and voice to poor women unknown in the art world.

While men controlled the streets everywhere, in the background those trying to hold up or rebuild their communities were the women.
“The eyes are powerful because the women are powerful,” he says. “You can see the energy and strength in those eyes.” via BBC News

We share more images from the ‘Women Are Heroes’ Project, these photographed in a favela in Rio called Providencia.:

Privacy Please

JR, who is fiercely protective of his identity, appeared in cognito even on SKYPE, to discuss the award with TED officials. He is presently in Shanghai, doing guerrilla-style events to call attention to the demolition of old Shanghai.

At least if he gets arrested in China, JR will now have friends in high places to bail him out of jail. TEDsters have the clout to send Bill Clinton in to negotiate JR’s release, but the artist will leave quietly and not in front of flashbulbs. Bravo, bravo JR! Anne

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