This Friday’s featured artist is Nobutaka Aozaki and his ongoing project From Here to There: a map of Manhattan composed of hand-drawn maps by various New York pedestrians whom the artist asked for directions.
“Most people just pull out their smartphone and try to show me a map.
When this happens I tell them I’ll forgot so please draw me directions!” says Aozaki.
He insists on leaving with a drawn map on whatever written surface is available:
torn sheets of notebook paper, napkins, or even paper plates.
His goal is not to make a complete map, but to document his daily routine and interactions with people,
sort of like a mapped diary.
When this happens I tell them I’ll forgot so please draw me directions!” says Aozaki.
He insists on leaving with a drawn map on whatever written surface is available:
torn sheets of notebook paper, napkins, or even paper plates.
His goal is not to make a complete map, but to document his daily routine and interactions with people,
sort of like a mapped diary.
Pretending to be a tourist by wearing a souvenir cap and carrying a shopping bag of Century 21, a major tourist shopping place, I ask various New York pedestrians to draw a map to direct me to another location. I connect and place these small maps based on actual geography in order to make them function as parts of a larger map.
