In April 2015, the New York Times Magazine reached out to JR to think about a project together. JR’s work has been preoccupied with the theme of immigration. He told them he would love to continue what he started on Ellis Island in the city.
So, they looked for people who arrived in NYC less than a year ago. They chose 15 coming from all over the world. JR photographed them walking in the city all of them completely unknown living in the shadows of the city and learning English slowly.
In a few hours during the night, JR and his team pasted Elmar, 20 years old who came from Azerbaijan, on the floor of Flat Iron Plaza in New York City. The image was 150 feet high. People walked on him all day and no one really noticed him.
The April 23rd 2015, Elmar was on the cover of the New York Times magazine that comes out while everyone else was in the shadow.
