Fool X Cork Print - Limited Edition of 4

Mapping is a fascinating concept. On the one hand, a colonial tool of domination and subjugation, an attempt to capture and distill the ever changing environment we inhabit. On the other hand, a useful and exciting tool for engaging with geography and a key to understanding our interpretation of this realm we find ourselves in. The Irish word for map is “léarscáil” (pronounce: lair-scoyl) which literally translates into English as something like “clear projection”, or directly translates as “show shadow”, describing a visual projection of our cognitive understanding of geography. It works much better, to my mind, as inherent within it is this idea of something filtered in and back out again, something processed, digested, breathed. We have all seen centuries-old maps and have remarked upon their inaccuracy, often with great comedic affect. That said, these are the maps that allowed for centuries of efficient exploration and exploitation. An Ireland on it’s side was precisely how it was viewed from an English perspective. A non-existent Australia made perfect sense to European navigators, although they scratched their heads as to why certain currents and winds worked the way they did without the existence of a large continent down-under. Thus, mapping is not just a means of capturing real-world information but also one of relaying that information through the filters of our flawed and prejudicial minds. This is a power that, when wielded benignly, can add greatly to our already highly developed capacity for communication, a core tenet of human culture.