Christoph Niemann (* 1970) is an artist, author and animator. His work appears regularly on the covers of The New Yorker, National Geographic and The New York Times Magazine. Christoph Niemann’s art has been subject to numerous museum retrospectives. He has drawn live from the Venice Art Biennale, the Olympic Games in London, and he has sketched the New York City Marathon — while actually running it. He created The New Yorker’s first Augmented Reality Cover as well as a hand drawn 360 degree VR animation for the magazine’s US Open issue. Clients include Hermés, Google, LAMY, and The Museum of Modern Art.
Niemann is a member of Alliance Graphique Internationale. In 2010, he was inducted into the Art Directors Club Hall Of Fame. He is the author of several books, including the monograph “Sunday Sketching”, “Abstract City“, “Pianoforte”, “The Paper”, “Hopes and Dreams”, “Souvenir” and “Words”, a visual dictionary for children. His most recent book “ZOO” is about his visits to the two Berlin zoos during the second lockdown in 2020. With Jon Huang he created the kids’ apps PETTING ZOO and CHOMP. His work is subject of an episode of Abstract, an original Netflix series.
Additional resources
Netflix documentary, Abstract
99U Talk on solutions for creative fear
TED Talk on the power of visual language
Press
IT’S NICE THAT
Christoph Niemann – In Conversation
by Lucy Burton
DEUTSCHLANDFUNK
Grafiker und Illustrator Christoph Niemann „Das Persönliche ist literarisches Mittel für das Gemeinsame“
by Ute Wegmann
DESIGN OBSERVER
Design Matters – Podcast with Christoph Niemann
by Debbie Millmann
BR
Christoph Niemann, Illustrator. Das Gespräch zum Nachhören
by Kaline Thyroff
EYE ON DESIGN
Christoph Niemann on Selecting His Toolkit + How the Materials Inform the Process
by Madeleine Morley
THE CREATIVE INDEPENDENT
Christoph Niemann’s – On meeting the needs of your client
by Julian Brimmers
ELEPHANT
Christoph Niemann: Possible Paths to Inevitability
by Ariela Gittlen
MIT VERGNÜGEN
Christoph Niemann – Wie schafft man es auf Knopfdruck kreativ zu sein?
by Matze Hielscher
DESIGN OBSERVER
Christoph Niemann’s Creative Powers: A Mystery Investigated
by Steven Heller
DESIGNBOOM
Combining humor and political satire
by Lindsay Duddy
THE NEW YORK TIMES
An Exhibition Worth Thousands of Words
by Roberta Smith
52 INSIGHTS
Christoph Niemann – Illustrating the World
IT’S NICE THAT
Making Imperfections Fun
by Madeleine Morley
FREUNDE VON FREUNDEN
Portrait of the studio and interview
by Liv Siddall
ART OBSERVED
Review of “Es gibt nichts Gutes” at Gallery Max Hetzler in Berlin
by Caitlin Greenwood
VOGUE (U.S.)
Your Next Must-Follow On Instagram
by Jessie Heyman
RADIO: SIDESHOW FROM NPR’S STUDIO 360
Christoph Niemann, Instagram Savant
By Sean Rameswaram
EYE MAGAZINE
Story Telling Giant
by Steven Heller
NPR
‘That’s How’ Christoph Niemann Explains It All
“Fresh Air” interview with Terry Gross
MoMA
An Average Day At the Museum reinterpreted by Christoph Niemann
by Julia Hoffmann
BRAIN PICKINGS
Insecurity Is Essential to Great Design
by Maria Popova
WIRED
‘Abstract Sunday’ Artist Gets Playful With Charming Kids’ App
by Mike Senese
THE ATLANTIC
The Bustle and Beauty of New York City, Rendered by a Master Designer
Review of Abstract City by Steven Heller
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Q&A with Christoph Niemann
by John Sellers