Books: JR – Women are heroes & Fafi – The Carmine Vault

I want to recommend two books, which I bought a few weeks ago. First of all “Women are heroes” by JR . I´m a big fan of his art and his his ideas to involve people. For example his Project Inside Out :

Street artist JR made a wish in 2011: Join me in a worldwide photo project to show the world its true face. Now, a year after his TED Prize wish, he shows how giant posters of human faces, pasted in public, are connecting communities, making change, and turning the world inside out. You can join in at insideoutproject.net

JR turns the photographic portrait into a powerful medium for change. Pasting mural-sized portraits into urban landscapes around the world, the guerilla artist works anonymously, and often illegally, to bring a haunting human presence to harsh environments of social conflict. His photographs of the vast outdoor ‘exhibitions’ that he creates are on their way to becoming iconic; celebrating the power of the individual. To create the project “Women” he travelled to seven countries; Sierra Leone, Liberia, Sudan, Kenya, Brazil, India and Cambodia, that have seen recent social unrest. Recognising that women often hold their communities together and are the first victims when conflict erupts, JR sought to help them tell their stories.

In each country, he interviewed women about their lives, took their portraits and then incorporated these images into the fabric of their communities. Women Are Heros explores the scope of the “Women” project and its impact. With a chapter on each of the countrues JR visited, the book presents thrilling views, ranging from entire neighbourhoods to close-up images of humble walls, of the murals in place, along with more than 80 of his original photographic portraits paired with interviews. The women discuss their lives and dreams, sharing stories of adversity, survival and the desire to build a bright future.

JR creates participatory art projects that he hopes will change the world. He won the 2011 TED prize, which gives $100,000 to the recipient and one wish. JR’s wish is for art to “turn the world inside out”, celebrating the power of the individual and he is inviting people to participate in the project “Inside Out” (www.insideoutprojectnet) A formidable artistic.

The other book is The Carmine Vault by Fafi .
Fafi’s creative output has turned the definition of street art on its head. Exploring a class of female stereotypes through the sexy, aggressive, and stylized renderings of her Fafinettes, this demimonde has expanded into a fully realized fantasy world now peopled with a diversity of characters—female, male, and animal.

Fiercely feminine and extravagantly rendered in color, her particular style has won her global acclaim. Appealing to consumers of streetwear and high fashion, her art and designs can be found everywhere from the streets of Tokyo and New York, the boutiques of M.A.C. Cosmetics and Adidas, to the pages of Vogue, Elle, Nylon, and XLR8R. A favorite of Colette Paris, her work has been shown in the gallery of the Faubourg St-Honoré institution multiple times. As a multidisciplinary artist, Fafi has developed an international cult following that has transformed her from artist to brand.

Centered around a character called Birtak and his desire to join the Paris Opéra Ballet, The Carmine Vault brings to life Fafi’s colorful and irreverent world for the first time in a lavish graphic-novel format. Combining comic book elements with the prestige and allure of art books, the book employs elegant compositions and innovative printing effects to reproduce vivid, never-before-seen work from this celebrated artist.