1/50,000 map of an entire imaginary metropolitan area - French style - hand-drawn

[Kishkindha]

Porque.jpg

Totally hand-drawn 1/50,000 map of an entire imaginary metropolitan area, in imitation of the the style of the 1922 type topographic map of France.

I worked on this project between August 2020 and June 2021, on the basis of a 2003/2004 miscarried project I introduced here on this forum some months ago.

In the final project, all the toponymy is replaced by the verses of a poem by Portuguese author Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen that I love : "Porque"

Porque os outros se mascaram mas tu não
Porque os outros usam a virtude
Para comprar o que não tem perdão.
Porque os outros têm medo mas tu não.

Porque os outros são os túmulos caiados
Onde germina calada a podridão.
Porque os outros se calam mas tu não.

Porque os outros se compram e se vendem
E os seus gestos dão sempre dividendo.
Porque os outros são hábeis mas tu não.

Porque os outros vão à sombra dos abrigos
E tu vais de mãos dadas com os perigos. (I wrote "com o vento", don't know why)
Porque os outros calculam mas tu não.

[- JO -]

Just amazing !

the city is incredible, such an imagination !

And the way you decline the poem gives a complete other level to the whole map !

Congratulations !

[Kishkindha]

Thank you !

[Kishkindha]

Just amazing !

the city is incredible, such an imagination !

And the way you decline the poem gives a complete other level to the whole map !

Congratulations !

Thank you !

[vorropohaiah]

gorgeous! those spaghetti junctions are insane

[Diamond]

That is so awesome. I salute you!

[Kishkindha]

That is so awesome. I salute you!

thank you !

[jshoer]

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

This one just takes my breath away. The amount of detail and level of precision is stunning.

[Kishkindha]

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!

This one just takes my breath away. The amount of detail and level of precision is stunning.

catch your breath and come see my exhibition in Lisbon, until the 18th of July

[Skaald]

Honestly I love a lot of map here, this place is like drowning in an endless sea of artistic skill. But I just discovered your maps and WOW. I will try to express what moved me in your works :

I find the combination of those almost nightmarish curban cities (i see them like living thinks, feeding on themselve, something like cancer - especially this one) and the beauty of your greens and blues is stunning. While sometimes maps seems living, like there is stuff going on as you watch the map, yours are like frozen in an endless moment. Looking at those both terrific and peaceful landscapes give me gossebumps.

And the idea of poetry. This is brilliant. For me it add to the inconfortable feeling of not knowing what I'm looking at. This shattered poetry, when you randomly read the name of what's seems like to be a little town in a desert and it's call someting like "where's my body"... Brrr and wow simultaneously.

Hats off for you. This is art indeed.

What are your inspirations if I may ask ?