French artist Sandrine Estrade Boulet is fully aware of the fact that pictures of major cities like Paris and London are cemented into the cultural consciousness of people worldwide. She knows that there are few images more ubiquitous than those of the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysees, Big Ben, and St. Paul’s — and that’s exactly why she’s made it her mission to reinvent some of the world’s most iconic cities through the art of illustration.
Aiming to give viewers a less conventional perspective on cities that even strangers claim to know, she adds a bit of spark to famous scenes that once seemed so familiar.
She refers to herself as a “hallucinartist,” which makes sense, since her creations confront viewers with things that usually aren’t really there. (But we totally wish they were.)
There’s nothing static about her work, either. Every day, she sets out to reimagine different parts of these cities, drawing inspiration from just about anything. Her pieces scurry along sidewalks just as quickly as residents do when they’re en route.
When it comes to realizing her vision, she spares no shadow, man, or beast.
And her illustrations suggest that we’re most definitely not alone, even when we feel like we’ve escaped the hustle and bustle that these cities are known for.
Mundanity turns into perfect insanity whenever she gets her hands on a new image. “I work between dream and reality at the intersection of a real and surreal world,” she writes.
But cities aren’t the online places that catch her creative eye. She also sets out into the country to bring her unusual brand of character to more natural scenes.
Her work forces us to re-evaluate the way we look at the world. As it turns out, this planet is much funnier than it lets on.
Because this illustrator is pretty prolific in her scope, she uploads new content weekly. If you prefer seeing famous landscapes in a different light, be sure to follow her on Instagram and Facebook today!