Map of Tokyo in the style of Yayoi Kusama
“It is not marked on any map: the real places are never marked” . With permission, we are going to refute this mythical phrase of Herman Melville in his novel Moby-Dick . It is true that, luckily, there are many corners that lack coordinates, that discovering them is the result of chance or that someone wants to share their secret with you. But what about those sites that we all know?
The era of new technologies has appropriated many useful tools, and one of them are the maps . We are not going to deny that it is much more practical to type an address and have a voice over guide you to your destination. But let's not forget the art, of the care behind the lines that draw the maps of the cities . Because yes, in case there was any doubt, cartography is an art and here we have the proof.
NeoMam Studios has decided to give traditional maps a twist and demonstrate the beauty of cartography with a wonderful initiative : have imagined what the maps of 8 iconic cities if they were designed by 8 great artists who considered them their home, designed by the illustrator Ilias Sounas.
“Cities all over the world are known for their art. They are home to famous museum collections and have seen famous artists come and go over the centuries. In this project we wanted to use the work and experience of these famous artists to give readers a unique perspective on each city,” comments Luke Doyle, Digital PR Executive of NeoMam Studios, to Traveler.es.
**Tokyo, Japan (Yayoi Kusama)**
Who would paint a map of Tokyo with polka dots? Clearly, yayoi kusama . Apart from being one of the great figures of pop art, she also expresses her creativity in other facets such as sculpture, performance and installations, cinema, fashion or poetry.
After her success in New York, where she had been living for years, she decided to return to Tokyo. In this city the Yayoi Kusama Museum It houses, on its five floors, 270 of his works. Psychedelic, colorful and with moles, this is how Yayoi Kusama would have designed the map so as not to get lost in the Japanese capital.
**London, England (Banksy) **
Behind the pseudonym of Banksy hides the greatest icon of street art British and world street art. His graffiti is controversial, vindictive and with it he addresses issues of modern life such as consumer culture, politics, discrimination or social networks. Using stencils and spray paint, **this is how Banksy would have painted the map of London**, just as he does on the streets of the English capital.
Banksy style map of London
**Florence, Italy (Leonardo da Vinci) **
Florence saw one of the greatest artists in history grow up: Leonardo da Vinci. But he not only perfectly mastered the art of the brush, but was also a brilliant sculptor, architect, military engineer, anatomist, and also planned treatises on painting, water, mechanics, plant growth and many other subjects.
And yes, he also drew maps . Proportion and perfection, those would have been Da Vinci's tools to paint his beloved Florence.
Map of Florence in the style of Da Vinci
** Amsterdam, Netherlands (Van Gogh) **
In Amsterdam is the Van Gogh Museum, with the largest collection of the artist in the world (more than 200 paintings and around 500 drawings). The painter dutch post-impressionist He has left his mark with his paintings of intense colors, beautiful contrasts, spirals and thick brushstrokes.
Van Gogh he moved to Amsterdam in 1877 with the aim of studying theology, and although his wishes were frustrated, he at least was able to discover the beauty of this inspiring city.
Map of Amsterdam in the style of Van Gogh
**Los Angeles, USA (David Hockney) **
Though David Hockney was one of the forerunners of British pop art, since the 1960s he has maintained a close link with Los Angeles, where he established his new residence. He is famous for his brightly colored paintings and his obsession with painting swimming pools. The artist captured the beauty of California landscapes in his intense tone works.
Hockney-style map of Los Angeles
** New York, USA (Andy Warhol) **
If we say Marilyn Monroe and Campbell's soup cans, it will take a few seconds to say "Andy Warhol!". Other universal myths of pop art. He was able to turn everyday objects and movie and music stars into the protagonists of endless exhibitions.
It was in his New York studio, 'The Factory ', where the artist developed his creativity. Although Warhol liked to wander aimlessly through the streets of Manhattan, this would have been the map with his stamp.
Warhol-style map of New York
**Melbourne, Australia (Sidney Nolan) **
Travels around Australia were the source of inspiration for the paintings by Sidney Nolan, one of the country's great modernist artists. Landscapes of the countryside, the jungle, tradition and Australian history have marked the painter's work. His first solo exhibition was in 1940 in Melbourne, his hometown. What better candidate to draw (hypothetically) the map of him?
Map of Melbourne in the style of Sidney Nolan
**Johannesburg, South Africa (William Kentridge) **
William Kentridge is a South African artist famous for his collages, charcoal tracings, prints, and art films, which he makes by filming the process of creating his drawings. Born in Johannesburg, William Kentridge frequently resorts in his works to social issues such as colonialism and apartheid.
Who is behind all this? “This concept was created by our ideation leader Chris Tucker and was researched by our editor, Marcus O'Connor , and by the content producer, Jessica Barrett . Designer Ilias Sounas produced the gorgeous illustrations and brought the project to life with creative direction from the managing editor, mike nudelman Doyle explains to us.
Map of Johannesburg in the style of William Kentridge