High-Jumping Athlete Arches Over Scaffolding In Public Illusion In Hong Kong

With much grace and conviction, a high jumper takes the leap over a spiky bamboo structure. At least, this is what is portrayed to onlookers present at  Ocean Terminal Deck for Hong Kong Arts Month.

The head-turner was commissioned by the city’s largest mall, Harbour City, before the pandemic, and it has finally made its grand appearance. French street artist and photographer JR—famed for his 3D trompe-l’œil (“deceive the eye”) public art illusions—has depicted an athlete jumping off the ground, striking a pose against the Hong Kong skyline, and soaking in the sensations of free-falling. The artwork, Rising Up, “is an invitation to take off to achieve more,” explains the artist. 

The nearly 40-foot-tall and 40-foot-wide spectacle is a continuation of JR’s Giants series, which the artist started during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Interestingly enough, the visual illusion has been perceived as a bad omen by some. As reported by Artnet News, one feng shui master has criticized that the character looks to have been pierced by the spikes. “You can have people climbing on a bamboo scaffolding, but not someone landing on it on [their] back,” proclaims the practitioner.

The teachings of feng shui are dealt with austerity in many parts of Asia, with designers and developers looking to the interactions of energy forces to inform architecture and interior design.

JR incorporates scaffolding into his art frequently. This time, however, he chose to do away with the metal and went for bamboo for the first time, to align the artwork with traditional craftsmanship.

Rising Up is currently on show and will take its bow on April 23, 2023.

[via My Modern Met, The Beat Asia, Artnet News, images via Harbour City / PR Newswire APAC]