Rafael Lorenzo and Obdulia Manzano in Wrinkles by JR

The life that led to Rafael and Obdulia’s Wrinkles

Children starting out on their own journey can hear the life stories of their elders in JR’s charming new book

Wrinkles, the first children’s book by the French artist JR, is a wonderful way to bring young and old together. The images in the book were taken for JR’s international art project, Wrinkles in the City, which saw him photograph some of the more senior citizens in different cities around the world, including Shanghai, Istanbul, Havana, Berlin and Los Angeles. 

The portraits that were then enlarged and pasted up in those cities showed the faces of people who had witnessed, first-hand, how these urban centres had changed.

You can read some of those histories in the lines on their faces. Our new book however, also reproduces their life story in simple terms for younger readers. Here’s the tale behind this happy couple of Cubans.

 

Wrinkles by JR
Wrinkles by JR

“My name is Rafael Lorenzo. I was born a musician. I have been to many cities, thanks to music. My wife, Obdulia Manzano, and I have lived in Havana, Cuba for 40 years. We got married 60 years ago. My wife has never left Havana because she loves her home and never wants to leave it.” 

For more child-friendly stories of life and longevity order a copy of Wrinkles by JR here.