Mapscapes
Dual concept of Map Collage
Maps add layers of time and space , exploring the idea of how we organize, categorize and conquer the enormity of our landscapes.
On a personal level, each of us has a very unique map or personal history. We travel different paths through life. Experiences along the way create unique brain/vision connections which is why no two people see the same way.
How do you expalin, contain and control the thing that is so much larger than you? You define with your own line, you codify, shrink, streamline and categorize. You make a map and colonize.
Older cultures map with song and story. Ancient maps include narrative. There is a familiar shoreline, geometry of the grid, creatures, tales of political conquest and the guesswork of shorelines undiscovered. Today, the contemporary lines of our maps aim to be precise measurements of space, time and traffic patterns. In truth, mountains and meander lines do not hold a constant form though season and storm, borders change with the whims of political upheaval. On top of all of this, each of us has the unique map of personal history with which we watch the world. Personal maps engender how we see our surroundings.
In my Mapscape Series, layers of mixed maps, geometric lines and figurative elements create new land formations. This work explores our relationship to the natural world, how our environment organizes our thought process, and is interwoven with our personal identity. The maps also exemplify our need to organize the complex into simplified.
