been reported as the flu takes its toll. 2600 have been hospitalized. this year's strain of h1n1 is tough on healthy adults. >> the law-maker investigating the traffic jam scandal says a crime was committed by the top eyed. >> orders to shut down the traffic lain caused hours of delay. those are the headlines. "talk to al jazeera" is next on al jazeera america. >> he is a 30-year-old street artist plastering the world with his art. in new york a photo booth was put up and portraits of new yorkers and their visitors were pasted on the floor. why? it was part of the j.r.'s "inside out" project, a world-wide million dollar art endeavourer allowing anyone to upload a portrait, printed out by the artist and pasted to draw attention. j.r. won the ted prize helping him with this process. j.r. is the name of a photographer whose identity is semie anonymous. he calls himself a guerilla artist. he got his start after finding a camera in a paris subway. his photos have been displayed in unusual places. along the barrier dividing israelis and palestinians, in the slums of kenya and shan'ty towns of brazil. i caught up with him at his studio in new york. >> j.r. good to meet you. nice to meet you. >> what a pleasure to meet you. you have asked the world, literally the world, to help you essentially turn the world inside out. >> someone i met in the streets told me that the warnings - it takes what issed in of you and it puts it out there. that's what it is. people taking their own portrait. you don't have to worry about technical stuff. but they have to paste it themselves. >> yes, yes. >> whatever it makes sense of that. >> what have you learnt in the process. this is a project that is two years, two years old. >> exactly. >> what are you learnt during the process. >> yes, yes. for 13 years i travelled around the world doing my own projects. i realise the power of communities. i didn't know how to translate that into other communities without me. so that them doing it without me being involved. in inside i was - okay, i'm not going to call. people will be - how do you want us to do this. sure. take the photo. you'll have a cell phone or something. take it. send it to me. we'll print it here and send it back to you. but you have to pull it wide. >> and then suddenly there would have to gather the community, go ba - okay, we have the project. no one else is involved. they don't have to ask if they don't want to. it's about them. some are small. it's a small community. and some matters go our countries. >> thousands of people, some of them in the portrait of a leader in tunisia. some are a patient in the school. i'm selling pieces of paper. they made it out, made it activates im. politic. >> is it about self-expression, is it about act vision. what are you seeing? when you go on the project site and you look, what do you see? >> what i see, when i see the portrait on the website, i see faces. wherever they come from, i see faces. when i send back, those printed on paper, whatever the context, it's a weapon or a piece of art. in some places self-expression is forbidden. in others it's on the top. >> how did it begin for you, was it self-expression. was it - you didn't think it was art in the beginning, did you. >> before photographs i was doing graffiti. that's vandalism. >> right. >> so i get - you know, it was self-expression but self, self, and i write my name everywhere. i realise the power of enabling other people to rite their own name. and i decided to do it with photography. by doing this i took what i was doing and adapting it to others, and paste it, enlarge their faces in context where they never had access to art in the form. >> you started with the graffiti. was there a moment. was there - how did you choose that as your form of self-expression. i'm trying to find a moment for you in your upbringing, in your early days. that led you to conclude that, you know what, this is the way for me to express myself. >> you know. there's something that we all have, no matter who is listening in right now. we want to leave a mark, you know. no matter how, but you have that... >> i was here. >> and that was, like, hundreds of years ago. people want to leave a mark. my way of it, and the way friends from doing it, we like to write it on withdrawals. we walk it in the projects and see our names. i realise that the city would clean it, and it would be gone. i started to engrave it on walls so it would stay. graving it in my building. when it came up i would see it in the doors -- >> was it the initials initially? >> yes. early i discovered the power of photography, and that's how i transferred to another form. >> where did you find the camera? what train, what line? >> the one going through paris and the suburbs. i was waiting for a friend, and it was left in a bag forgotten. it was not a great one. i waited, there was no name or nothing. i was like, "whoah, what's that?", i didn't use it right away. then a couple of weeks after with friends, it was fascinating. you go, you see the train, you hide and you really literally go like right in front of you. no one sees you. no one is looking to see someone. we were there hiding. i would try to tell you the story. it would be hard for me to hide the words. let me document it. i was not that good. >> 2005/2006, paris, parts of the suburbs, the outskirts of paris, parts of that are literally on fire. did you know a lot of these people. you are watching it on television, the riots of that - of that period. what were your thoughts? >> you know, in - so the year before that -- >> yes, so we are talking about 2000 -- >> 2004. for the first time i had the biggest photograph in the projects. getting close to each other. it's a dangerous project in the suburb. maybe a friend. and i take it. >> what were the images. the images of life, the using of life. not portraits, groups and jumping behind bars and buildings. one guy holding his camera like a weapon. >> i want to get to that. i pasted those. they couldn't find me. i left the country is the that time. i started to travel. that's the first time there's a heavy case against me. the city say -- >> this could be serious. the people say, "you are not going to kill it. it's our project, we are proud of it. the photo were enlarged on the buildings. a year later when i thought all this would cool down, the two kids that died because they were chased by the police, you know, down the building, that's how it started, they hid next to a huge photograph on a building in an electric box. and the first burned in front of the photo. that's the image of kids burning and on the background there'll be photographs. >> we were trying to figure out what it was about. at some point we understand, those of us in the media, it was about these young people who were frustrated with the system, feeling as though they were locked out of the system. they couldn't participate in greater france. and you capture that, didn't you. >> you know, when i saw the majors on tv. of burning cars. >> i was like - you couldn't recognise a face. i wept back to the neighbourhood and said, "guys, what is going on. there's cameras all around. the neighbourhood is up top. all the others are getting tense. i say, "are you part of this." i have some working out at the restaurant. it's a nightmare. there's a lot of kids taking part. 10% of all of us here are taking part in this. then it's critical. it's from paris. even abroad they think that all of france is burning. i was really - they were, no, man, it's a neighbourhood, five streets. it's interesting to see how it gets transformed by the media and the people, and the people basically, which is natural. and i thought why don't i take your portraits. if you see they are trying to steel the portraits, i'll take them from there. if you have nothing to report, i'll write your name, age and building number. i'll be on the other side. this way if someone talks to you you can knock at the door. and everything is accepted. >> we'll take a break. when we come back i'll ask you about your art and whether you believe it's changing the world. let's take a break. this is "talk to al jazeera". >> this is "talk to al jazeera", and i'm tony harris with the artist j.r. i'm sort of interested in who you are. and i know that there's a beating heart behind the glasses, the hats. who are you, and why are you reluctant to let people into the inner circle that is j.r.? >> you know, i'm still the same kid that was doing graffiti at the time, writing his name. he was behind it. i didn't want to get a fine with it. early with the years. the fine was not the problem. except for some context that i'm travelling to. but more the fact that it's been others. i did that in my early process. it's about others. it's about placing others. i was like what would i gain from putting my face in front of that. you know, i didn't - i didn't see what i would gain, showing people recognising me in the streets. when i take off the hat, no one can recognise me. >> i want to know the moment - what was the moment for you. describe it for me when you came to the realisation that, you know what, i do have something. it may not be fully formed, but i do have something that i think could be special. what was the moment for you? was it... >> i think. >> -- was it a photograph. >> when i painted my first photo in the street there was nothing special about it. you know what they say, the criminal goes back on the crime scene. it works the same, when you do something in the street you see how someone approaches it. i was there looking, and i saw a man with a suit, and a tie stopping by, looking in the suitcase, and walking away. i was like, "this would never happen", now i'm touching a young guy and a man in the suit. this is powerful stuff. photography and paper. all combined in the street is powerful. and then the scale. >> how did you make the determination to go so large, so big. the scale of your work? >> you know, for me the scale was that i know i was competing with advertising, back and white because it was cheeper. because, you know, i wanted to make sure that when you see, you don't think it's advertising for anything. also, you know, i wanted to do something that would impact, recreate the interest of the neighbourhood and absolve the architecture. it's a supposition. it's a statement and this is the format. this is what has been done since. i've been adapting to the ark texture everywhere i go. >> the face to face project in ramallah, the west bank, i'm interested in that, the "face 2 face." what was your goal in taking on that project. what was the most interesting reaction to that project? >> i went there with a friend of mine. we start going on both side. we had the passports, the chance. we go and take a coffee with the palestine and the israeli in the same hour. so it was like, whoah, why don't i take portraits of doing the same job. people will not recognise. it is the same. i pasted it on the city. in ramallah, for me, it was fascinating to see a big crowd gather around. and people, you know "what are you doing, what is it?", and who are the people. this is two taxi driver, and the guy comms "what do you mean two taxi driver", one is palestine and one is israeli. everyone looked at each other and the photo again. and there's a big silence. and that is -- >> that speaks volumes. >> and then - and then i turned to them and said, "who is your enemy?" it was, "i can't recognise my own brother." i say, "it's the other one, but don't worry, there's 10 other ones, make your chance on the next one", and then people laugh. humour is a big part. suddenly they help you. and they are like "are you doing this on the other side." here we let you do it. on the other side they are not going let you do it. you pick an enemy, it's not possible. it was amazing. it felt easy. people think i was risking my life. and i was actually having fun with the crowd in the street. heavy discussions for sure. constantly. but like leaving discussions. i felt the power was at its maximum for me. >> you are looking at images from the artist. j.r.'s "women are heroes." we'll tell you all about it. when we come back. you're watching al jazeera. >> let's talk about one of my favourite projects of yours - women and heroes. tell me about it. and, again, some of the most interesting feedback you got from the project. >> i wanted to discovery the world, and with the process just engage with the people i have never met at the other side of the planet. when i went to africa and brazil, the mens were running the street but the women were the pillar of society and the community. i did a project. women in heels. it's not that i was a feminist. if i portrayed women, my biggest war would be demand. i wanted part of that war but to involve them. in the treat, i pace you. "who are you, where are you from." there's nothing involved, sufficient me. there's woman from the community. >> why would you want to pace them. i do the part rate and bring it back. that's what i'm doing new. i would love to pace it. understand that you are in the street. i'm asking you. if you don't like it, scratch it down. why are you doing it in i scratch it down?" "because it's art." i would paste and the guys would help. then you have - like in liberia in a broken bridge you have others helping. they made them feel that's their environment, "we help you, we believe in it." the project is paper and glue. the way people involve themselves in it is so much more. it's like community. it's people opening the windows, moving the roof. it gets deeper than that. you look at it. it's about the whole experience. more than the photo. the photo is amazing when you look at the hill covered. when you lead the process, it's life-changing. that is what took be to it. the people need to see the process, and for that they have to go through it. they really have to take the risk to get to know the people around them. life is not only on twitter and instagram. it's if you knock on the neighbour and ask something crazy, you might say yes. if you don't try, you think he's a loser and never know. >> do you know, what did the women take from that project? >> first you see it when you walk in the streets, the women have the dignity. eyes and look. they've been through the conflict and hold the family together. you have to be hungry. they carry so much intensity and strength and i did all the interview with them without glass, just eyes to eyes, i had to. they were really giving me something, taking me by the hand saying, "look, it's great if you bring the photo here, and it would be good for the community. make that story travel. when i would come back, some of them it was, like, something moving to suddenly be the hero of the community. for a lot of them it was, like, yes, there's me here. it's a big deal. everyone knows. take that in new york, take that in another country, and it's amazing. depending on their own life, they read the photo differently. it would impact them in a different way. that's what i learnt through the project. is that there's a sense of dignity that is strong. in islam or kenya, or the richest areas. >> why do you focus - it's a conscious choice. why do you focus on faces? >> you know, since the projects after the ri ots, i started to do faces. when you put a face, it's like a signature industry. that is your own signature. and it's like your own, but it could be the community eye. everyone reflect in it. it's a window to the sole. so faces cannot come to say if you are jumping in the project, it's not because i sold the image, but you involved in this. you literally want to put your face out there. you want an impact for yourself or a community. that is not my concern. it's your choice. your face will take you to the project. back to the middle east. when i faced those in ramallah, who takes the risk? not me. i take a risk. i've been kicked out of the country, been injured. the one that take the risk is the guy on the photo, whose name is on it, and who could have a problem for having his face next to the enemy. >> maybe you saw this success for yourself and you are surprised by it. whatever case, are you enjoying the work, are you enjoying yourself, are you enjoying the community building that you are doing. >> i mean, you know, right now, definitely, because i've been doing the journey with the same thing, with the same friends. right now i - what i really rmz is the power and the luck of being an artist. that i want to respect and make sure i protect no matter what because as an addict, you have the right to fail. in society, that's a big right to have, you know, the right of failure, to go in a place and maybe walk. it wouldn't happen, maybe you get rested. you'll never see the daylight. but you can take the risk. i want to make sure every day everything i start. i'll do it in a way that i can lose everything the next -- >> appreciate it. pleasure to meet you. >> thank you. >> thank you for joining us for "talk to al jazeera." >> thank you. >> everyone that come to the studio, this is not "inside out," but we'll take you. >> where are you going to go, here? >> that is the whole cam yes. four, three, two, one. boom. >> i didn't expect it to be that big. >> yes. >> that's scary, j.r. [ laughs ] >> watch out. for exclusive... revealing... and surprising talks with the most interesting people of our time... >> parkinson's forced his wife to type his novels. >> not only was i typing badly, but i was hallucinating... >> now, a revolutionary proceedure is giving is giving this best selling author a second chance >> it was a wondrerful moment... >> after the implant, they turned the juice on, and... >> emily & martin cruz smith on talk to al jazeera only on al jazeera america >> hello and welcome. i'm phil torres here to talk about innovations that can change lives. hardware and humanity and we're doing it in a unique way. a show of science by scientists. dr. shini somara shini somara is a mechanical engineer. as scientists test new building tines can they survive the most powerful twisters on the plane planets? kosta grammatis, feeding a hungry planet. he's touring the farm going inside one of america's busiest

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