The Map Is Not the Territory

Cecilia Turemark – behance.net/ceciliaturemark

Some design is being questioned and some is taken for granted – like maps. Maps are a visualization of our complex surroundings that we’re trying to make sense of and mapping somehow makes it more comprehensible. The most common map is the one portraying a physical space. The representation of that space needs to be reduced for the map to be readable. Just like graphic design, the purpose of the map is to tell a story. Does the viewer of the map ever think of this? My goal with this project is to question the power of both the map and the designer and to make the viewer of the map inquisitive. Do you recognize that the map you include in our everyday life is interpreted by the creator and intends to portray one of many ways of presenting reality? To emphasize the fact that maps have gone from a tradition of drawing maps by hand, to the way Google Maps is now an obvious part of our everyday life; this book consists of selected text written by experts within the field of cartography that have been combined with carefully chosen maps. To guide the reader, the book includes some helpful words written by me to combine the writings of the experts and the maps. To highlight the shift from printed to digital media the book has some Augmented Reality effects built into it.