Tag Archives: maps

Here & There: Horizonless Projections of Manhattan

Here & There: Horizonless Projections of Manhattan posters and prints New York maps

Here & There are a fascinating set of prints from London-based design firm BERG that depict speculative projections of Manhattan by completely removing the horizon and skewing the entire urban landscape upward. These particular views are of uptown from 3rd and 7th street, and downtown from 3rd and 35th street. Last year the prints found their way into MOMA’s permanent collection, and have just been reprinted using offset litho on 170 gsm paper from sustainable sources. Pick ‘em up now, shipping starts tomorrow.

Update: Because people are asking, these were designed a year or two before Inception. Just sayin’.

United States Map Made from Thousands of Wood Matches by Claire Fontaine

United States Map Made from Thousands of Wood Matches by Claire Fontaine United States multiples matches maps installation fire

U.S.A. (burnt/unburnt) is a 2011 installation by Paris-based artist Claire Fontaine (previously) constructed from thousands of green matches that were inserted into a wall at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art as part art of “Evidence of Bricks” at the 2011 Time-Based Art Festival. Fontaine has made somewhat of a name for herself with her match installations and flaming geography, most recently completing a similar U.S.A. map at Queens Nails Gallery in San Francisco. Unlike the installation in Portland above, the Queens Nails artwork was actually set on fire, and while it may not have gone exactly as intended, the final post-flame artwork is impressive nonetheless. Photographs above for PICA by Dan Kvitka.

Update: Hyperallergic has the scoop in the latest US Map fire.

By Christopher on February 11, 2013 • fire installation maps matches multiples United States

New Map and Celestial Star Chart Portraits by Ed Fairburn

New Map and Celestial Star Chart Portraits by Ed Fairburn portraits maps drawing

New work today from Ed Fairburn (previously) who draws ink and graphite portraits on vintage maps and now celestial star charts. A few of his works are now available as fine art prints over ar Not on the High Street.

By Christopher on January 30, 2013 • drawing maps portraits

Explore the Underwater Topography of North American Lakes with these Laser-Cut Wood Maps by ‘Below the Boat’

Explore the Underwater Topography of North American Lakes with these Laser Cut Wood Maps by Below the Boat wood maps lakes

Launched less than a month ago, Below the Boat makes gorgeous bathymetric charts (the underwater equivalent of a topographic map) using laser-cut layers of Baltic birch that are then carefully glued together to create what you see here. They have over two dozens charts currently available organized by East Coast, West Coast, and Interior Lakes. (via gessato)

By Christopher on January 1, 2013 • lakes maps wood

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn portraits maps illustration
Ink on a 1973 road map of Germany

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn portraits maps illustration
Pencil on a Bartholomew map of Pembroke

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn portraits maps illustration
Pencil on a Bartholomew map of Galloway

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn portraits maps illustration
Ink on a ’30 Miles Around’ map of Bournemouth

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn portraits maps illustration
Ink on a street map of Cambridge

Portraits Drawn on Maps by Ed Fairburn portraits maps illustration
Work in progress

Artist Ed Fairburn utilizes the chaotic patchwork of roads, trains, and rivers printed on maps as the framework for his large-scale portraits. Almost like a sculptor carving a subject from a block of stone, or a constellation highlighted in a clump of stars, Fairburn uses meticulous ink or pencil crosshatching to create portraits hidden amongst the topographical features. You can see much more of his work over on Facebook. (via artchipel)

By Christopher on November 25, 2012 • illustration maps portraits

An Abstract Collage of Beijing Neighborhoods Creates a Colorful Stencil on a Dilapidated Courtyard Wall

An Abstract Collage of Beijing Neighborhoods Creates a Colorful Stencil on a Dilapidated Courtyard Wall street art maps graffiti China

BlinkingCity is a unique collaboration between Marcella Campa and Stefano Avesani. The duo created this colorful abstract collage using several maps from the rapidly transforming Hutong neighborhoods in Beijing. Here’s how they describe it:

Blinking City is a project investigating the inadequacy of traditional maps for city environments characterized by fast pace transformation and urban growth. As soon as the map is done, the city it describes has already gone. We transferred one of the Blinking City pattern, based on a collage of several Hutong neighbourhoods of Beijing, onto a wall of a dilapidated courtyard house in Xianyukou district, located in the core of the city.

See much more of the project over on Behance.

By Christopher on July 20, 2012 • China graffiti maps street art

A Miniature City Built with Metal Typography

A Miniature City Built with Metal Typography typography sculpture maps

Type City is a recent artwork by artist Hong Seon Jang that uses pieces of movable type from a printing press to create an elaborate cityscape. It’s fascinating to watch as the need for printed books and typography wanes, the unused objects themselves are more frequently used as an actual medium. Jang also completed a much larger Type City in 2009. Also, if you liked this, make sure you watch the creation of Ephemicropolis by Peter Root, a city built from 100,000 staples. Images courtesy Hong Seon Jang and David B. Smith Gallery. (via quipsologies)

By Christopher on May 14, 2012 • maps sculpture typography

Cartographic Birds and Plants by Claire Brewster

Cartographic Birds and Plants by Claire Brewster paper maps birds

Paper artist Claire Brewster has been living and working in London for over 20 years, meticulously cutting these birds, flowers and plants from old maps. See more of her work on her blog. (via job’s wife)