Ballet, Regard surplombant la façade du Palais Garnier, Opéra de Paris, France, 2014

JR’s ballet works are a celebration of art and life. The project was initiated in 2014, when JR was invited by the New York City Ballet to create a large-scale installation in the hall of the theatre as part of its Art Series. Peter Martins proposed that JR create a choreographic piece for the company. JR responded to this artistic challenge by translating the story of his friend and director, Ladj Ly, during the 2005 French ghetto riots, into a ballet. The piece was entitled « Les Bosquets ».

The short film entitled Les Bosquets brought the project back to its birthplace, Les Bosquets in Montfermeil. The film blends footage from the riots in 2005 and the original Portrait of a Generation project with choreography performed on location by Paris Opera Ballet dancers.

After JR’s encounter with the Paris Opera Ballet dancers for the film, he created a photo series with them on the roof of the Palais Garnier, Paris.