Why Maps?

I am fascinated by maps as a medium. Their unique blend of visual and verbal content make them a fascinating media type. As representations of the World around us, they appear objective but often their best qualities are their subjectivity, their unique view on a place. Editorial choices make every map a cartographic portrait of a place and time.

My work uses the medium of maps to explores various themes and subjects. My TypeMaps reduce the geography of a place to typography and color. My Story & Travel Maps series is more eclectic and traditional in appearance but continue my exploration of capturing the essence of place in a unique way. My Strange Borders series started as an interest in border disputes. I quickly discovered that there are far more settled borders that are far more interesting.

The Internet and digital mapping have made the making of maps available to everyone from artists to data scientists. This has made for a crowded but fertile playing field. As such, my goal with every map I create is to find a unique perspective on the subject. 

Andy Proehl, July 2018