In October 2019, French artist JR created a one-of-a-kind art activation within the walls of California Correctional Institution: Tehachapi in Southern California - a maximum security 4 facility.

JR and his team captured the portraits and stories of former and currently incarcerated citizens that are keenly focused on rehabilitation, as well as some of the prison staff, and pasted them with their help, as a large team, on the recreation space within CCI.

The wheatpasting of 338 strips of paper was completed in a few hours thanks to the help of all the participants in the project, and more incarcerated men and staff, working together with JR’s team.

The final installation shot was done from a birds-eye view with a drone.

JR:Murals, a free app available for iPhone and Android, allows to meet and to hear these former and currently incarcerated men, as well as the prison staff who have participated in the project... [+]