As the world continues to mourn the deaths of at least 153 people at the hands of terrorists in Paris, France, we look to anything that can bring us together in this tragic time filled with serious loss and hardship.
One artist's heartfelt tribute to the innocent victims was at the center of much social media activity the night of the attacks. Jean Jullien, a French artist currently based in London, shared a simple ink and brush illustration of the Eiffel Tower merged with a peace sign to his Instagram and Twitter accounts near midnight Paris time. The image quickly became adopted and reposted all over social media, and the next day was seen recreated on signs at vigils across the world, and on shirts on the backs of mourners. The artist spoke with Wired, and touched on how he feels about his artwork being brought to the forefront during such a tragic time.
"I’m sort of almost embarrassed to be getting that much exposure as a result of such a tragic event," Jullien told Wired. "However, it really shows that this is how we communicate not just as humans, but as a society. It can break down barriers," he added. Although he says the timing may have appeared opportunistic to some who left foul comments on his posts, the image to him "was a reaction. The first thing that came to me was the idea of peace, that we needed peace."
You can get to know more about Jean Jullien and his illustration by reading the full interview over at Wired.
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