After going through my Ellis Island photos from September 22nd and making selections, I knew I had to find out about the photo murals that had been plastered to the walls in the immigrant hospital. I was surprised that our guides from the Save Ellis Foundation did not talk about them as they were part of a major installation titled “Unframed-Ellis Island” by the famous French artist known simply as JR. When they were installed in 2014 and the exhibit opened it was the first time in 60 years that the old hospital was opened to the public. JR combed through the island’s archives digging up images of doctors, nurses and patients at the hospital. He then blew them up to larger than life scale and pasted them on various surfaces inside the crumbling compound. In an interview at the time he said. “I let the walls decide what part of the image should appear.” In the same way the building has been subject to the consequences of time and nature, JR took no actions to protect the work from the elements. I would like to return to find the images I missed seeing. Back in 2014 JR said “I’m not a believer in ghosts, but I definitely feel something here.” I know what he means. About JR
Surfing LBI
Some days the ocean is just gorgeous and presenting the world with great waves for surfing!