JR Transforms Milan's Central Station Into a Cavernous Cave
“Changing perspectives on things is always a way of looking at the world differently.”
In the run up to next week’s Salone del Mobile, French visual artist JR has unveiled a new site specific installation at Milan’s Stazione Centrale, entitled La Nascita (The Birth). JR is known for creating colossal graphic interventions that have appeared across the world, from Paris’ Palais Garnier to the doorsteps of the Pyramids of Giza.
His latest installation features an illusionary trompe l’oeil effect, as a monochromatic depiction of a mountainous terrain forks through the entrance to the train station. “In spaces that have social issues, my work is about bringing people together,” JR told The Art Newspaper. “In a place like this, a huge range of people come to catch the train. When they find themselves in front of an exhibition, they will suddenly have a different kind of interaction.”
Milan’s Stazione Centrale is a marker of the city’s transformation into an international transport hub back in the early part of the 20th century. Sometimes referred to as a “Cathedral of Movement”, the architecture was inspired by the baths of the Roman Empire, and presented JR with one of the largest building’s he’s worked on to date.
The French artist had been wanting to create an installation at Milan’s most iconic train station since before the pandemic. Initially, he wanted to reimagine the floor of the space, but pivoted to laying multiple installs that give an appearance of depth. “While the exhibition is temporary, even when it’s gone visitors will never see [the station] in the same way,” JR added. “Changing perspectives on things is always a way of looking at the world differently, and that’s what I always aim to do, no matter the circumstances.” La Nascita (The Birth) will be on view in Milan until May 1.
Centrale Stazione
Milan, Italy
