Christoph Niemann: Souvenir

The acclaimed New Yorker illustrator's ink and pencil observations on the theme of travel

This elaborate book features over 160 ink and pencil drawings by Christoph Niemann, each a story of an unfamiliar place. They are observations on traveling, arriving and immersing oneself, on the melancholy of being on the road and the adventure of discovering new destinations—among them New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Seville and Kyoto.

Regardless of their subjects, these are all sketches that grasp the magic, light and mood of a place in a handful of virtuoso strokes. In Niemann’s own words: “Over time memories change. Most things fade, while others become more significant. Connections arise that one wasn’t aware of originally. Sometimes a drawing can capture all this in a new and surprising way. And with some luck, the picture feels as authentic as the moment itself.”

Born in Waiblingen, Germany, in 1970, Christoph Niemann is an artist, graphic designer and author of various books. His work has appeared on more than 25 New Yorker covers since 1998, with illustrations in Weltkunst magazine, Wired and the New York Times Magazine. He was inducted into the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame in 2010. Niemann lives and works in Berlin.