Cartographic Project

Artist Statement

I usually start a cartographic project by researching the history of a particular city, its current state of development and future planning projects. I then search for topographic maps, urban-planning charts, geospatial statistic cartograms and other graphs from specific periods in the city’s history that I would like to examine, since I always combine and juxtapose maps from different time periods in my work.

Occasionally, I have to create fictional maps based on a city’s future development projects if its urban planning charts are unavailable. When I have the maps that I need, I consider the layout carefully, as well as its historical context, scrutinising technical details but allowing unexpected narratives to build the conceptual framework.

I execute my map drawings in the same manner as a cartographer, using grids to ensure that the original maps’ layouts will be rendered accurately and precisely. Colourful lines and dots are then added, using ink and oil, which are coded as in a map’s legend to indicate important information that is hidden. The various dots also refer to microorganisms, suggesting life.


2013

This project was part of Sharjah Biennial 11

Commissioned by Sharjah Art Foundation