Extraordinary artist finishes Istanbul drawing

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

After a 45-minute helicopter tour, Stephen Wiltshire worked for five days to draw Istanbul, using his photographic memory.

English artist Stephen Wiltshire, who draws extraordinary cityscapes using his photographic memory, has finished his drawing of Istanbul.

Wiltshire, 33, completed his pencil drawing on a huge canvas at the entrance of the Palladium shopping mall within five days, using only mental images of the city’s historic heart after a 45-minute helicopter tour of the city.

“I had difficulty in remembering when I was drawing some places, but the result is a very nice work,” he said, adding that it was his first visit to Istanbul.

Wiltshire said he had drawn panoramic pictures of 14 to 15 cities so far. “I can say that I am a genius on this matter,” he added. 

Wiltshire started drawing Istanbul on Sept. 24 at 12 p.m. and completed his work on Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. He drew for seven hours each day, and on the last day he signed his drawing at a special ceremony.

The drawing will be open to the public in the shopping mall throughout October. Following its Istanbul exhibition, it will be given to the Istanbul Municipality to be displayed in a public area.