We are regularly inspired by the sheer artistic talent that there is out there, but few have blown us away like the outrageously gifted Stephen Wiltshire.
This man's talent in nothing from awe-inspiring. As someone who enjoys sketching and finding new ways to graphically represent the world which surrounds us, I have never in my life seen someone with such an impressive ability to memorize spaces and entire cityscapes.
Stephen is a 39 year old artistic prodigy who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. He has an uncanny ability to sketch detailed landscapes after only having seen them in person once. In 2011 he created a 250-foot (76 m) long panoramic memory drawing of New York which is now displayed on a giant billboard at JFK Airport.
He has received numerous awards and recognitions over the years, and has received the high honour of being named Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
The video which introduced us to Stephen is the one below, which documents his drawing process for a 16 foot panoramic drawing of Rome which he completed following only one helicopter ride above the historical city. It demonstrates the incredible accuracy of his memory, highlighting his succesful representation of iconic buildings such as the Pantheon down to the right number of columns.
The above is the final Rome Panoramic drawing, as shown on his website.
If you'd like to find out more on Stephen do visit his personal website www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/ or check out this youtube posting of a documentary based on his unique talent titled "The Human Camera".
His sketch of St. Pauls Cathedral via his website.
His sketch of an aerial view of the River Thames via his website.
