Stephen Wiltshire is a British artist who sketches and paints cityscapes. He has outstanding talent for rendering true representations of landmark buildings, quite often having only seen photographs, or viewed them for a short time. Stephen was born in London to West Indian parents in 1974, and s a child he was mute, and did not relate to other people. Aged three, he was diagnosed as autistic. He had no language and lived entirely in his own world.

At primary school, teachers noticed that Stephen could communicate through drawing, and exhibited exceptional talent at this well beyond his years. Stephen began to demonstrate incredible knowledge of the subjects he drew Â? cars, buildings, and animals Â? and with encouragement, he was able to expand his language skills. Stephen went on to study Fine Art at the City Guilds Art College in London where he obtained a post graduate degree.

Stephen WiltshireÂ?s works show his unique ability to convey perspective, accuracy, and detail that combines architectural aspect with artistic imagination, giving them mood and depth.

Stephen is also a multi talented savant. He has perfect pitch, and, as with his encyclopaedic knowledge of his drawing and painting subjects, he can interpret the sentiment of operas. Stephen is extremely unique in these talents, as autistic people very rarely demonstrate more than one extraordinary talent; and his ability to easily understand the emotion in opera has sparked the interests of many psychologists.

Stephen WilshireÂ?s work is exhibited around the world, and his gallery in London is successful and lucrative.

Damian McDonald, Curator
March 2012

The drawing was created by the artist Stephen Wilshire using black Staedtler pens and pigment liners, on paper. He sketched the buildings having only seen and drawn them previously, or seen photographs of them. The work was created in 2007.

This drawing was gifted to The Museum of Brisbane in 2007 in appreciation for a successful exhibition project from the Queensland Institute of Structural Engineers: 'Realising Dreams: Structural Engineering in Brisbane'. The work features two of Sydney's most iconic and internationally recognisable architectural structures - The Sydney Harbour Bridge and The Sydney Opera House. Because of this, The Museum of Brisbane donated the work to the Powerhouse Museum in 2012.

Framed drawing, landmark international buildings, paper / glass / wood, made by Stephen Wiltshire, United Kingdom, 2007

The artwork is black pen on paper, and features the Millennium Dome in London, Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Wembley Stadium in London, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai, China, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the Gateway Arch at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in Illinois Missouri, the La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, the Grande Arche in La Défense near Paris, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings in New York City, 30 St Mary Axe building in London (The Gherkin), a suspension bridge, the EDF Energy London Eye, and the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The work is framed and under glass.

Made: 2007

2012/48/1

2007

438 mm

564 mm