Tenzin Tsémé’s Towns and Villages
Imaginary cities, dreamlike architecture and reinvented places
The illustrations of towns and villages stem from a love of architecture, travel and those places one sometimes feels one recognises without quite being able to place them.
Interlocking houses, alleyways, domes, bridges, stairs, towers and façades come together to form fictional towns and villages, constructed freely as the drawing progresses. Some evoke the Mediterranean, Asia, Europe or architecture encountered elsewhere; others belong entirely to the imagination. This architectural diversity echoes the richness of built heritage around the world, many of whose urban complexes and historic sites are listed by theUNESCO.
Executed mainly in ink and felt-tip pen, in black and white or in colour, these illustrations combine meticulous lines, a wealth of detail and compositions that are at times almost impossible. The aim is not to faithfully reproduce an existing place, but to capture its atmosphere and invent a new place around it.
Each drawing thus becomes a landscape to explore with the eye, inviting everyone to imagine their own story.
Explore Tenzin Tsémé’s towns and villages
The collection brings together imaginary cities, dream villages and reimagined architecture, in black and white or in colour. Each work has its own unique world: some are inspired by places the artist has visited or observed, whilst others are entirely the product of the imagination.
Browse the gallery and step into these illustrated worlds, detail by detail.
Start or grow your collection
A work of art may be a one-off favourite, but it can also mark the beginning of a personal collection. Tenzin Tsémé’s towns and villages are designed to complement one another through their architecture, colours, scale and atmosphere.
As new works are unveiled, you can gradually build your own collection, by pairing pieces that evoke journey, whether real or imagined.
A place created just for you
Would you like an illustration inspired by a place, an architectural style or an atmosphere that means something special to you? Tenzin Tsémé also creates custom illustrationsinterpreting your project in her own distinctive visual style.
Continue exploring Tenzin Tsémé’s work through the square-format illustrationsand abstract works, les affiches illustrées ou retrouvez l’ensemble des créations sur la page Illustrations page.