Blackout Berlin: An Abstract Interpretation of the City

illustrations: Marie M. Benaboud

Apart from a refuge, Berlin has served as a muse to artists in search for inspiration; both by its welcoming and freeing atmosphere, as well as its exciting subject matter. And it is Berlin that inspired Marie M. Benaboud with her artistic project, Blackout Cities. The Moroccan/Swiss/Belgian architect chooses the city’s most recognizable landmarks as a theme for her project’s first series, reintroducing them to us in an imposing, yet minimal manner.

She combines architecture, photography, and illustration to imprint her unique vision on the urban landscape. Her tools to creating the enigmatic atmosphere that characterizes her work are her strong compositions, the exclusive use of black, as well as the absence of human presence. All her pieces have a personal touch as they are all handmade, silkscreen printed in her atelier in Wedding, in limited editions.

Recently, the artist announced her collaboration with of/Berlin, a store that hosts unique Berlin designs, making it easier for us to check out her work, either through the store’s website, their physical store in Kreuzberg, or through the blog dedicated solely to the project.