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Autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire relies purely on memory to draw his spellbinding pictures – including this amazingly detailed panoramic view of the world’s most famous city skyline.
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Stunningly recreated using a single photographic frame stored in his mind, Brit Stephen is sketching the 18ft by three-foot vista of New York at Brooklyn’s prestigious Pratt Institute.
The unbelievably intricate hand-drawn image has been entirely brought to life using the view he captured on a 20-minute helicopter flight over the sprawling metropolis.
Listening intently to his ipod throughout the artistic process – because music helps him – London-born Stephen uses only graphic pens as he commits his picture-perfect memory to the high-grade paper.
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Invited by top US television network CBS to display his talents to the American public in a new screen appearance this week, Stephen has famously produced cityscapes of Tokyo, Rome and Hong Kong dumfounding art lovers around the globe.
“Stephen sketches his layout in pencil first and then scales it within the border, first adding in landmarks before filling out in more intricate detail,” says Iliana Taliotis, who works with Stephen and his family.
“He works methodically in short sharp bursts and is even being put on video by the CBS network as he puts his art to paper.”
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On his third visit to New York, this is Stephen’s first panorama of the world’s most iconic cityscape.
“Stephen feels this is his spiritual home,” said Iliana.
“There are many similarities between his home, London, and New York that he can relate to.
“The only difference is that everything is on a bigger scale and with taller, more modern buildings.
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“Cities have always been his passion, and he is drawn to cosmopolitan lifestyles.”
Diagnosed with autistism at an early age, Stephen’s talent for drawing emerged as a way of expressing himself.
Using his drawing’s to help himself learn and encouraged by his family, Stephen created a series of 26 coded pictures to help him speak, all of which corresponded to a letter in the alphabet.
Going through up to 12 pens during his sketches which can take a week to finish, memory man Stephen also draws heavily on music which he carries everywhere.
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He listens to everything through the 70s, 80s, and 90s, including blues, soul, funk, Motown, pop, Back Street Boys, All Saints, and even New Kids on the Block. “He always listens to music while he works,” added Iliana.
“This work will encompass the five boroughs of New York, New Jersey, Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty.
“This one is extra special and unique.
“Due to his personal love of New York it contains far more detail and the perspective of the panorama is much more in-depth, giving a more realistic, 3-D view of the city.”
Words by James Nye
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