Asia. From the Cartographies series, 2013

Ana Seggiaro   Emerging artists

From the Cartographies series  

Embroidery on canvas (map)

Unframed

In the mid-2000s, Ana Seggiaro made her first small-scale collage works on paper. Starting from pages of books, maps, and scores, she carries out the first series intervened through embroidery and painting. In these works she finds the universe of cartography, using maps as supports for the construction of imaginary geographies. This search leads her to tackle larger works. Thus, she recovers old school maps worn by use, where the black rubber acquires a broken texture, generating a topography like that of skin dried by the sun. She intervenes in these maps with abstract figures and images of paper airplanes that fly over unknown landscapes.

This artwork presents a dynamic and thought-provoking map of Asia, skillfully overlaid with vivid red paper airplanes. The map's dark backdrop provides a striking contrast to the bright, angular planes, which appear to be in motion, cutting across geopolitical boundaries with precision. The intricate web of fine white lines represents the traditional intricacies of cartography, while the airplanes introduce an element of modernity and playfulness. The tension between static geography and fluid motion invites viewers to reconsider concepts of distance and connection. The choice of red is bold, symbolizing urgency or revolution. This piece uniquely merges elements of traditional mapping with contemporary art, engaging viewers in a visual dialogue about movement, change, and possibility in our globally connected world.