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InspirationArt & Culture

City skylines and mountainous landscapes made entirely from old books and maps

For his Civilised Landscapes series, Chinese artist Ji Zhou uses old books and fold-out maps to create incredible installations that he then photographs to depict both rural and urban scenes. Ones that are familiar to everyone, but have a certain illusion and augmented reality.

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All images courtesy of the artist and New York City's Klein Sun Gallery

All images courtesy of the artist and New York City's Klein Sun Gallery

His process tells as much of a story as the final image does: Ji Zhou collects maps, hand-sculpting them into peaks and troughs to mimic mountaintops. He includes books that are assembled into cantilevered towers resembling city skyscrapers.

As with most of his work, Ji Zhou chooses to question rather than offer his own conclusions: What is civilisation – a constructed illusion created by man or an inevitable product of evolution? What is the truly ‘civilised landscape’– tautology or oxymoron? You'll have to ponder that one yourself.

His first solo exhibition in the U.S. is now taking place at New York City's Klein Sun Gallery right through to 10 October 2015. Discover more at www.kleinsungallery.com.

Mountains crafted from folded and sculpted old maps and books in Ji Zhou's Civilised Landscapes series
Stacked books and maps arranged like a city skyline with tall towers and varied heights against a turquoise background
Stacks of coloured books and maps arranged to resemble a city skyline against a pink background, part of Ji Zhou's Civilised Landscapes series
Architectural structure resembling a stepped pyramid or ziggurat entirely constructed from stacked books and maps in varying colours and heights
Sculpted maps folded into white mountain peaks surrounding a dark blue lake, with hand-drawn red lines marking territories across the lower foreground
A rocky island with white peaks rises from deep blue water, crafted from folded maps and old books by artist Ji Zhou
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