Travel Book Amsterdam

“At heart, I’m not really a tourist,”says Laurent Cilluffo. “My vision is fueled by emotional connections. In order for a scene to become a drawing, it needs to have qualities that speak to me.” Born in Lille, but having spent some years in New York before returning to France, Laurent Cilluffo did not know Amsterdam, but immediately felt a sense of familiarity in the rigour of its layout and façades. He avoided planning things in advance, but opened himself up to surprises while wending his way through the city, whether on foot, by tram or aboard a ferry. He focuses on essentials, employing an economy of means that gives each element its due, complementing his drawings with color or handwritten annotations. Laurent Cilluffo's work has featured in some of the world's leading publications, including The New York Times, Newsweek, The Guardian and Le Point. Since the Travel Book collection was created in 2010, it has invited artists from across the globe to explore places – a world centre, a countryside, a wilderness – they have never experienced. By entering unknown territory, they discover a new culture, different architecture, varied ways of life. The Travel Book collection is a mirror of contemporary creation, reflecting the depth, breadth and diversity of the planet’s many aesthetic and artistic worlds. Each artist is free to choose their expressive technique – drawing, painting, collage, illustration, manga, scratch card. Their favourite material – pastel, oil, watercolour, ink, pencil, pixels.