rafael esquer unveils klimt-like poster of new york at night

determined to enshrine that ‘first night in new york’ feeling — the lights, the noise, that zip in the air — artist rafael esquer of alfalfa studio has created a deluxe poster to help encapsulate the sights and sounds of the big apple. rendered in radiant gold, silver foils and luminous metallic inks, ‘iconic new york illuminated’ celebrates the lights and landmarks of new york at night. custom printed and stamped on velvety black crease-resistant paper, the limited edition poster’s gleaming surface shines almost as much as the city itself.

https://youtu.be/ompqN5SA4hY

rafael esquer has lived in manhattan for 20 years, but vividly remembers his first night in town: ‘I was an undergraduate visiting from california, and arrived late in the evening. like most people, I found the city’s lights exhilarating. but they did even more for me: I felt enveloped and connected in their glow, instantly a part of the city. I knew right then that I would live here.’

rendered in radiant gold, silver foils and luminous metallic inks

now, as founder and creative director of alfalfa studio, esquer has designed the night edition of his original 2013 ‘iconic new york’ poster — with updates. ‘iconic new york illuminated’ is composed of more than 600 icons, which is nearly 200 more than the 2013 original. this new version includes 28 new buildings, 23 celebrities, 20 media outlets, 12 cultural institutions, 11 urban legends, 10 writers, 8 sports teams, 3 superheroes, and 1 saint. more than 200 major buildings, landmarks, and organizations are identified by name and silhouette in the border around the map and new quirky details can be found everywhere: look for pizza-rat in the east village, the miracle on the hudson, a diamond-garnished martini and a few legally topless women wandering about.

‘iconic new york illuminated’ celebrates the lights and landmarks of new york at night

‘everybody loves new york,’ says esquer. ‘I wanted to create a deluxe, collectible souvenir that says, new york loves you back — especially after dark.’ esquer’s reputation for iconic graphic design continues to grow, as his creations become a synonymous part of new york life. his work includes the NY football club badge, NYC 311 — the logo for new york government’s information and non-emergency services — and the ubiquitous ‘made in NY’ logo that promotes the city as a prime location for fashion, film and TV.

‘iconic new york illuminated’ is now available for purchase at alfalfanewyork.com, and you can check out designboom’s interview with the artist here.

custom printed and stamped on velvety black crease-resistant paper

the iconic new york illuminated by the brooklyn bridge

rafael esquer has lived in manhattan for 20 years, but vividly remembers his first night in town

‘iconic new york illuminated’ is composed of more than 600 icons

this new version includes 28 new buildings, 23 celebrities, 20 media outlets, 12 cultural institutions…

…11 urban legends, 10 writers, 8 sports teams, 3 superheroes, and 1 saint

new quirky details can be found everywhere

look for pizza-rat in the east village, a miracle on the hudson, and a few legally topless ladies

the limited edition poster invites you to discover, explore and get lost in the city

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: peter corboy | designboom

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