The Map of Neighboring Bodies
2017
Silkscreen printed, accordion bound in hard covers.
6.75 in x 5.75 in x 1 in, 40 pages.
Edition 65
“The Map of Neighboring Bodies” is a book of invented iconography related to bodies of water. I played with the definition of territory as it applies to the open ocean. Designed to be cyclical, the book’s covers and textblock imagery connect along a seamless path that wraps horizontally around the entire book. A key is provided on the front side to help the reader decipher the environments.
Each section of the book is rendered systematically, breaking down a subject or idea and building it back up again using tile sets and pictograms. My interest in symbolic imagery hearkens back to an early affinity for 8-bit video games and ancient cartography. This book ties the two together. The result is a reflection on the utility of maps as fictional devices and our longstanding need to create boundaries in order to make sense of the world around us.
This project was made possible by the Women’s Studio Workshop
AIE Artist’s Book Residency/Grant.