Giants, Rising Up

Rising Up depicts an athlete gracefully propelling herself backward above the Hong Kong skyline, inviting viewers to take off and achieve more. The work is an ode to JR’s first Giants installations which debuted during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and captured the perfect motion of athletes. 

As an athletic gesture, “rising up” embodies taking the risk to separate oneself from solid earth, resist the pull of gravity, and feel the brief freedom of flight. The installation is on Ocean Deck Terminal in front of Victoria Harbor.

For each Giants work, JR installs his majestic black and white photographs over intricately constructed scaffolds adapted to the specific site. The scaffold structures are a beautiful sculptural element of the installations in their own right. Taking inspiration from Hong Kong’s unique architectural craftsmanship, Rising Up is the first time JR installs his art on bamboo scaffolding. 

Rising Up is JR’s first major art project in Hong Kong since the Inside Out Photobooth Action in 2012. It was unveiled during the 2023 Hong Kong Art Month.