What an exhibition! And such magnificent maps indeed! The above image is by Grayson Perry and was one of the exhibited works.
It is fascinating to think how people perceived the world, and how it changed over different times in human history. From the more fantastical to the more representational with information selected on the basis of its usefulness, the whole exhibition showcased a range of maps that for our view of the world in some way.
With the increase in accuracy in modern maps there is also a slight decrease in its artistic appeal, it becomes more a tool for practical use, which is very valid in its own right. It is fascinating how maps have had such artistic appeal, symbolic value and political power throughout the ages, and how it was used to elevate one's social status as well as used as a political tool for propaganda and finally a simple functional guide.
Throughout the exhibition I was learning about various curious facts and also admiring the beauty of some of these maps. One that I really like was the artist Grayson Perry's artwork - ''Map of Nowhere'' but at the same time I don't want to upload an image that is not mine, so I will spare an image for this particular blog piece. I have started to think that I may want to do a project with maps!
After the exhibition, I was still so taken by it that I purchased a book about the famous map maker from the 16th Century, hoping to read more about the fascinating history of how we got to have the maps we have today. That really came on when I saw the most beautiful map in the entire exhibition being displayed upside down to what we usually see - China on the left, and Australia would have been on the top, and I wondered who decided how represent the world in a map, and hence the book.
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