Fandom

Christoph Niemann is a Berlin based illustrator & Graphic Designer who has featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, WIRED and even Google. 

"There's this worn out phrase of a picture being worth a thousand words. Sometimes, however, a word describes 1,000 pictures. The visual work I'm interested in is not about telling stories with enchanting art. What fascinates me about drawing is the act of deconstructing the world & putting it back together in the mind of the viewer. The image serves as tools, that unlock meaning. " - Christoph Niemann

The main reason i’m drawn the Niemanns work is because of his ability to convey often complex ideas with an enchanting simplicity. He is well known to bend the norm with his illustrations, producing unconventional drawings that could almost be deemed as sculptures simultaneously. This breach of the norm is something I find inspiring and something I’d like to see develop in some form in my own work. 

The bulk of Niemanns work seems to be produced either digitally or through the use of silk-screen printing. However also often produces work in ink or graphite (particularly in his Sunday Sketches series). Niemann is an practitioner who is very accepting of the new age, in terms of technology and social media in particular. This has resulted in him producing a few animation responses for clients such as the New Yorker. 

"With just a few lines Christop can turn one thing into something else completely - he uses drawing to capture the joy & transformative potential of the imagination." - Madeleine Morley (It's Nice That)

As mentioned above, I believe that Niemann represents a personal acceptance of the evolution of the discipline (of illustration) within his work. He does this through a varied exploration of what illustration is. Using drawing intertwined with objects, video and photography he demonstrates another dimension to the original understanding of the practice. This aspect to his personal practice displays a willingness to adapt, something that is inevitable in the current world where technology/society is growing faster than ever. 

Niemanns work inspires through his quick wittedness and complete lack of reluctance to comply and prosper with the introduction of social media and everything that means for the practice of illustration. He shows a strength and determination to adapt with the times which is something I want to see throughout my practice. Aesthetically speaking, I am very drawn to the simplicity of his work that is often beautifully contradicted the intense meaning in his work.