Chinese artist Ji Zhou makes it possible for everyday books and pastel-colored maps to metamorphose into an array of diverse landscapes. The creative reshapes and sculpts paper charts by hand, reintroducing them to his audience as mountains. At the same time, he transforms a collection of ordinary books into towering buildings. Once he has masterfully completed his manmade landscapes and architecture, Zhou photographs the structures, capturing their fascinating beauty.
When viewers observe his Civilized Landscape series, the artist wants them to question what they are seeing. He wants them to ask themselves: “What is civilization–a constructed illusion created by man or an inevitable product of evolution? What is the truly ‘civilized landscape’–tautology or oxymoron?”
To view this thought-provoking exhibit in person, you can visit New York City’s Klein Sun Gallery, where it will be on display through October 10th.
Ji Zhou: Artsy | Klein Sun Gallery
via [designboom]