Déplacé·e·s, Greece

JR did the fifth iteration of his Déplacé·e·s project on the Greek island of Lesvos in December 2022. Lesvos is seen by many as the “door to Europe,” with asylum seekers arriving on the island by boat from Turkey. The journey is extremely dangerous due to the northern winds, and many people have died during the passage.

JR and his team gathered the children from the UNHCR refugee camp to unfurl a portrait of Mozhda, a little girl from Afghanistan. With each child holding a side of the image, the community marched through the camp, lifting Mozhda up to the sky. Full of energy, the children jumped up and down and some ran under the tarp during the procession. Their movements mirrored the image of Mozhda, who was photographed running. Lesvos is primarily made up of temporary refugee camps, and Mozhda had already moved to Germany by the time of the installation.

Following the procession, the children gathered for a picnic around the eyes of Moise, a young boy living in the refugee camp. They danced, played, and sipped hot chocolate during the joyful occasion.