ALL OVER THE MAP

February 15–May 10, 2009

Yumi Janario Roth (in collaboration with Casey McGuire and Andrew Blackstock), Meta Mapa, courtesy of the artist.

Maps conjure up the explorer in each of us by transporting us to new lands with exquisitely detailed geography and beautiful designs often rendered in vibrant colors. Objects such as road atlases, thought diagrams, or celestial charts simultaneously expose the landscape of our world and lead our imaginations on a fantastic journey. They allow our mind to travel back to places we have visited or fantasize about unknown places we long to discover. Yet, more than providing instructions on how to get from point A to point B, maps identify where we are currently, reference how we got there, and track routes for future expeditions. As they reveal our path, we get a peek at the "bigger picture," illuminating what is normally not seen and providing endless possibilities for physical and inventive exploration. Representing both real and imagined places and plotting shifting social and cultural forces, maps function as a metaphor for journeys and allow us to view the world in new ways. Utilizing these inherent qualities of cartography, the artists whose work is featured in All Over The Map use this format as a point of departure–literally and figuratively–to powerfully transport us to another place. By using and modifying existing maps, employing other materials to create map-like forms, producing documents that chart thought processes, and constructing topographical forms, each artist invites us to voyage to a new realm.