The Map of the World
The Map of the World series emerged from a deeply personal yet universally resonant realization—one that took shape high above the ground, as I gazed out of airplane windows during countless journeys across continents. From the sky, the world reveals itself not as a mosaic of borders and colored territories, but as a seamless, uninterrupted expanse of land and water. Rivers, mountains, and coastlines merge organically, unmarked by the arbitrary lines that define nations. This aerial perspective compelled me to question the very nature of boundaries and to reflect on the persistent tension between the continuity of the natural world and the divisions we construct.
Through this series, I translate these contemplations into abstract visual forms that challenge the conventional notion of the map. My work explores how borders—though fundamental to our political, social, and cultural identities—remain essentially imagined, while the earth itself endures as a boundless, interconnected entity. Each piece in the series is an invitation to consider the map not as a neutral tool, but as a subjective, interpretative practice that both shapes and distorts our understanding of the world. Drawing inspiration from the strategies of critical cartography, I employ various processes, such as papermaking, printmaking, and sewing, to question the subjectivities inherent in cartography and celebrate the tactile, fluid nature of the earth. The Map of the World, in turn, offers abstract interpretations that evoke the world’s underlying unity, transcending the conceptual borders that fragment our sense of place.
Together, the Map of the World series reimagines the globe as a space of continuity, possibility, and shared experience—encouraging viewers to reflect on the connections that unite us beyond borders, and the enduring wonder of the planet we inhabit.
