CURIOSity Digital Collections. (2024). Scanned Maps. [online] Available at: https://curiosity.lib.harvard.edu/scanned-maps [Accessed 23 Oct. 2025].
Method One: Sequencing
The maps were reorganised along a spectrum from abstract/decorative to scientific/realistic. This method differentiates the maps according to their projections, content and function.
Definitions:
Abstract/Decorative: maps with symbolic meanings, or mythological topics
Scientific/Realistic: maps reflecting modern ideas of scales and objectivity; in similar appearance to the popular map projections we see today
The first row features celestial maps and those that include illustrations with inaccurate perspectives and minimal information about terrestrial landscapes. The second row presents maps in which the continents begin to take on shapes we’re familiar today, yet they remain adorned with mythological figures and creatures (e.g. personifications of natural forces on the corners, aka anthropomorphic figures). The last row consists of maps that demonstrate a more systematic representation of spatial relationships, emphasising the relativity of positions and scale (e.g. use of latitude & longitude). In general, sequencing the maps in this way reveals the historical shift of map-making.
Method Two: (Re)Illustrating
Each map was evaluated to identify symmetrical shapes, which were then re-illustrated using basic geometric forms such as circles, rectangles, and lines. In the GIF below, I developed an “equation language” to demonstrate the working process. This visual language illustrates how complex forms are constructed through the combination of simple shapes. Reillustrating the maps in this way highlights the structural connections between map projections, revealing how maps function as visual entities operating within a shared grammatical system.
Method Three: (Re)Contextualising
This method zooms in on the human figures (anthropomorphic figures) on the maps (whether mythical, allegorical, or real) to analyse their purposes and meanings. Below is a database of the collected figures.
Based on the database, I created the following diptych:
This diptych is dividing the database into two categories: the subjugated and the dominant.
Figures categorised as the dominant depict Europeans as well-dressed, armoured, and civilised beings. Mythological figures are employed to enhance their status, including Fortuna (goddess of fortune and luck), Poseidon (associated with masculinity, aggressiveness, and power), Athena (goddess of wisdom and warfare), and Mars (god of courage and war). These figures emphasise Europe’s military strength and technological advancement.
On the other hand, figures categorised as the subjugated depict Non-Europeans (including Asians, Mexicans, Australians, Africans, and Americans) as savage and minimally dressed, often portrayed engaging in exotic behaviours such as riding animals. In the map of the State of Georgia (the fourth illustration from the top on the left), the depicted individual, presumably enslaved, is shown working on plantations in an organised, clean and peaceful environment. In this map, the cartographer deliberately omits the brutal realities of slavery, especially those involving forced labour, physical punishment, and the violation of human rights.
Recontextualising maps in this way is recognising maps as communicative devices that imperial powers have exploited to suppress and exaggerate information in order to assert dominance and establish superiority. Maps function as propaganda, presenting distorted realities and conveying biased messages that favour the politically dominant while marginalising others. Cartography, similarly, becomes a visual language that reflects power dynamics, cultural hierarchies, and political motives.
Feedback
Sequencing: Reconsider layout as the current format makes the top-left map simultaneously scientific and decorative. Suggest changing to a linear format to better convey the intended approach.
(Re)Illustrating: Consider using the drawn shapes to develop a new symmetrical shape.
(Re)Contextualising: Consider ‘mapping out’ the distortion of information. Explore different types of map projections and develop an outcome that illustrates how each projection distorts our knowledge of the world.
Further Development
Building on Method Three: (Re)Contextualising, the second week’s work further investigates into the power structures embedded within cartographic representation. It is extending the inquiry of maps as propaganda and power by examining how mapping systems not only depict geographical information, but pervade biased opinion of global relationships through spatial distortion.
While in the previous week, anthropomorphic figures were examined to visualise colonial hierarchies, this week’s development examines deeper into the structure of map projection as a presentation of ideological control.
To move forward, I selected the Mercator projection as the conceptual and visual foundation for this exploration. The Mercator is one of the most widely recognised projection nowadays, with users spreading across popular platforms such as Google Maps and OpenStreetMap. Its design, although purposefully created for marine navigation, distorts landmasses by inflating areas near the poles and diminishing those near the equator. This systematic distortion of spatial scale reinforces a Eurocentric worldview, visually magnifying the prominence of Europe and North America while marginalising Africa, South America, Southeast Asia and other regions historically subjected to colonisation.
The image below shows how the Mercator projection distorts landmasses (Jasondavies.com, 2019).
Jasondavies.com. (2019). Map Projection Transitions. [online] Available at: https://www.jasondavies.com/maps/transition/.
To further develop, I distorted the anthropomorphic figures previously categorised as subjugated, then inserted them into the Mercator grid according to its latitude and longitude structure. This approach attempts to draw parallel between geographic manipulation with ethnic falsification. By transforming the anthropomorphic figures into visual embodiments of spatial distortion, the resulting pattern recomposes the Mercator projection as a visual system structured to create ethnic falsification through territorial misrepresentation.
From the previous step, I produced the following illustration:
Final Outcome
The outcome is a visualisation of a critical reconstruction that exposes the ideological manipulation of cartography. It interrogates the neutrality of mapping systems, reframing them as propagandistic device that legitimise ethnic misrepresentation through geographical distortion. Through the integration of iconographic analysis and spatial critique, the resulting image emphasises how the geometric precision of maps can conceal deep ethnic-political biases. It is a symbolic expression of global inequality, revealing how visual rationality —such as map projection—is, in fact, subjective and perpetuates territorial and cultural hierarchies.
To kick off the first brief, I selected London Bus Route 73 as my chosen physical site of investigation.
The foundation of this first stage lies on the theory that buses, as a form of mobile infrastructure, function not only as a mode of transport but also densely packed conduits within the city’s sociological network.
With this assumption in mind, I employed three methods of investigation to analyse Route 73 from three perspectives: who the service is designed for, who it actually serves in practice, and how commuters interact with both the space and one another during their journeys.
Method One: Sketching
This method focused on understanding who the bus service is designed for, through sketches of the exterior and interior of the physical site. These sketches served to define the space and establish the context in which observations for the subsequent methods would take place.
Method Two: Notetaking
This method focused on understanding who the bus actually serves in practice, through notetaking of conversations that took place within the site. These notes provided brief insights into the passengers’ backgrounds. Independent of visual presentation, the notes offered quick presumptions of the observees’ occupation and connections in society (the outside world, a.k.a. the city), and the role the bus plays in reinforcing those connections.
Sept 23rd, 11:28
Essex Road / Marquess Road
Two female young adults
Scenario: taking their seats
A: “Tottenham Court Road?”
B: “Yea.”
Sept 24th, 13:20
Angel station
Three female teenagers (middle school students)
Scenario: gossiping about a classmate
A: “She told me, like, I don’t know, it wasn’t like that.”
B: “No, but, but she told me...(unidentifiable)”
C: “No way!”
A: “She did not!”
Sept 24th, 16:12
Penton street
Two female young adults
Scenario: stuck at the bus entrance
A: “There’s, like, space at the back... I don’t know why no one’s moving.”
B: “Hm.”
Sept 24th, 16:16
Baron Street / chapel market
Adult man
Scenario: on the phone, possibly with a sibling
Him: “Hello, how are you doing, mate?”
Him: “Right, yea yea, sure.”
Him: “I’ll probably give a call to Mum and Dad.”
Him: “I’ll drive to your place later.”
Him: “I can be there around 2 or 3 — whatever works.”
Him: “Would you pay me?”
Him: “Or I can beg them to drive me.”
Sept 24th, 16:24
Angel station
Young boy (primary school student)
Scenario: on the phone with his mum
Boy: “Hello? Mum, I’m a bit late.”
Boy: “Yea, um, like, Angel.”
Boy: “Yea, okay. Okay. Bye.”
Sept 24th, 16:29
Newington green road/balls pond road
Adult man
Scenario: on the phone, possibly with their partner
Him: “Hello, luv, I’ll be there before 5.”
Him: “Yes, um, that’d be, that’d be great.”
Him: “Yea, see you later. Bye, luv.”
Method Three: Notetaking & Photographing
This method focused on understanding how commuters interact with both the space and one another, through a combination of notetaking and photography of specific individuals (e.g. appearances, languages, seating positions, actions, gestures, etc.) These notes and photographs provided more detailed insights into the passengers’ backgrounds and allowed the observer to construct a more comprehensive and accurate profile of each observee, while also identifying which part of the social network this specific bus route contributes to.
1. A man with headphones on, napping (September 23rd, 11:25AM, Green Lanes)
A man got on the bus this morning between 11 and 11:30 a.m. He boarded before Green Lanes Shacklewell. He went upstairs and chose the front-left seat on the upper deck — first row, by the window. His backpack was placed on the aisle seat beside him.
Sunlight was coming in from the right side of the bus. He sat on the left, possibly to avoid the sun. It wasn’t a particularly busy time. There were fewer than five people on the upper deck. [Pshht. Vrrrm. Clunk.]
The man wore a dark blue hoodie and a pair of headphones in similar colour. He didn’t speak. He made no noticeable sound. He barely moved.
[Deep hum.] The bus continued its journey via King’s Cross, and stopped at a red light on Capper Street. The man lifted his head, paused for two seconds and looked to his left. Still no words.
Then, he turned his head to the right, lifted his right hand, and pressed the red button on the yellow handle beside him. He grabbed his backpack, walked swiftly down the stairs, and got off at Stephen Street.
2. A middle-aged couple sitting next to each other (September 24th, 04:13PM, Pentonville Road / Baron Street)
A couple sat on the second row of the upper deck, near the stairs. One of the closest rows to the exit. It was a clear afternoon. Bright sun, soft breeze, blue sky. The kind of weather perfect for outings.
The bus stopped at Angel Station. The woman looked to her left. She appears to set her eyes on the shops along the street: Angel Central, VUE, Uniqlo, OFFICE, MONSOON, Accessorize, Pret, OASIS.
She turned to her right and made a brief comment of her observation. The man slightly tilted his head first, then turn his head to respond. [Continuous thud. Soft rustle of fabric. Passengers alighting. Footsteps.] Their conversation was hard to make out over the background noise. The man subtly nodded, agreeing with her comment.
The bus continued its journey. They didn’t speak again. The woman continued looking out the window. The man did the same, occasionally.
[Ding.] Another passenger rang the bell before the bus reached Ockendon Road. The man stood up, with a plastic grocery bag in his right hand. He looked at the woman. She shifted sideways, toward the aisle. He moved out to the aisle and walked toward the stairs. She followed. They walked down the stairs slowly and alighted.
3. Three women sitting at the front seats, chatting (September 26th, 10:54AM, Green Lanes)
10:54 a.m.: I walked toward the upper deck. Three women occupied the very front of the upper deck. Two appeared middle-aged, the third in her twenties. The older two sat side by side; the younger woman sat directly across the aisle, apart, but definitely part of the group.
By the similarity in their features and the ease of their rapport, I reasonably guess: daughter, mother, aunt.
They were chatting. The daughter, if such she was, carried the early lead in the conversation. Their language was foreign, likely Italian. The younger woman smiled as she spoke, rotating herself nearly ninety degrees to face her (presumed) mother. She spoke with enthusiasm; the older women responded in kind tone and gesture—soft words, bodies leaning inward, eyes attentive.
11:03 a.m.: The bus reached Cross Street. The older women now leads the conversation. The one near the aisle said something, the other responded with clear laughters, “Ha! Ha! Ha!”. Their conversation continued without pause but stayed within the boundaries of social propriety.
11:25 a.m.: The bus reached King’s Cross Station. Their conversation carried on. I alighted.
Tutorial Feedback + Reflection
Since texts played a major role in my initial methods of investigation, the group suggested exploring further into the visual translation of textual elements. A potential direction could be to personify the texts to embody the tone expressed through the expressed conversations, illustrating how these invisible and overlooked conversations themselves interact with the setting in our everyday life.
Recommended References:
Ware C., Ware C. and Ware M. (2012). Building stories. London: Jonathan Cape
This reference was particularly relevant to my further investigation as it proposed a non-linear storytelling technique. It played around with different forms of comic, appearing as separate prints while responding to the same narrative within the same setting. The pieces can be individually read in any order, and the narrative continually rewrite itself as the reader begins a new piece of print.
Ware, C. (2012). Building stories. London: Jonathan Cape.
Visual Responses
1. This response attempts to imitate the diagrammatic format of comic form as presented in Buildling Stories (Ware, 2012). It visualises the key elements that defines the travelling experience and those experiencing it through icons and category of colours.
2. This response attempts to take a more narrative-driven approach. The first image presents a set of alphabets personified in varying gestures and characters. The second image positions these personified alphabetical characters into the bus setting. This response aims to emphasise how languages flow within and fills up the space the conversations are taking place.
Week 3
Building upon the second visual response developed last week (the comic), conversations between passengers continue to serve as the primary focus of my investigation. My focus this week is to identify the correspondence of verbal communication and the bus as mediums that facilitate connections within the city’s broader social network. I explore into the context and motivations behind conversations engaged during the journeys. Upon reviewing the previous notes, I noticed how such interactions are typically short and casual. They often revolve around daily schedules, quick updates about mutual connections, or spontaneous comments on the physical surroundings (inside/outside the bus).
At the beginning of this project, I wanted to explore bus as a social setting assuming that new connections would naturally form between strangers whose journeys overlap due to spatial constraints. I initially believed that these incidental interactions could extend into the city’s broader social network. But, in observations, commuters are highly conscious of their personal space and tend to avoid intruding on others’ too. Rather than forming new connections with unfamiliar passengers, people tend to use the bus as a setting to reinforce existing social bonds with those they are familiar and travelling with. From this perspective, I began to understand that conversation is a type of interaction that commuters have been forced to adopt, in order to retain private space within the public setting. Hence, the content and emotion of these conversations tend to remain private, shared only between those actively engaged in the interaction.
Reflecting on the visual response produced last week with this notion in mind, I found the illustrations too subjective. The characters, for instance, were illustrated with a lot of my own interpretation and imagination during the process. The background and passengers were relatively more objective since they were created based on what I visually observed.
A few feedback I found particularly useful during this process: 1) the concept of an alphabet flip book; 2) a multi-layered print that gradually reveals more about each passenger as layers are opened; 3) and the use of speech bubbles to direct attention to the conversations rather than the individuals themselves. I was aiming to find an alternative that could visually recreate the conversation while keeping it’s authenticity.
Researched References
Metamorphosis, Tor Weibull
This publication is a recreation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis designed to inform the relationships between the main characters through the relative positions of paragraphs and texts throughout the pages. It’s an interesting demonstration of the capacity of format to produce relative meanings between the given texts, as well as the capability of text as a structural form of graphics.
Weibull, T. (2015). Metamorphosis. [Print on Paper].
Visual Responses
Overall Written Response
This project investigates the role of Route 73 in shaping and affirming social connections in the urban network.
Infrastructural Tourism (Mattern, 2013) provides a key insight into the theme for this investigation. According to Mattern, infrastructures are man-made systems operating collaboratively to distribute resources across a given site where numerous systems intersect and connect. Mattern argues that only by observing our surrounding infrastructures can we develop infrastructural literacy, or, the ability to understand our dependencies on these systems and reflect on their social implications.
Route 73 runs between the residential area of Stoke Newington and the commercial hub of Oxford Circus. Beyond functioning as a transit system, it operates as a mobile infrastructure that grants residents with a more affordable means of reaching resources concentrated in the city centre. Residents along its route rely on the service to perform daily routines. This dependency reflects a form of surrender, in which comfort and privacy are relinquished in exchange for economic opportunities. Building on this concept, the project positions Route 73 as a physical infrastructure through which commuters compromises personal space in favour of access to urban resources, resulting in the formation of a community based on involuntary cohabitation.
Species of Spaces and Other Places (Perec, 1997) expands this investigation further by offering a method of experiential engagement through observational writing. The work encourages reassessment of spaces via the compilation of visually observable details, phrased in the simplest way possible. Instead of describing the space itself directly, the observer is invited to focus on their lived experiences within it—what occurs there, what the space is used for, and who uses it. This inventory defamiliarizes our conventional understanding of the space, thus constructs a new version of it in our subconscious mind. This project hence employed this method and documents Route 73 focusing on its commuters, specifically their interaction with the space and one another.
It was then observed that the compacted seating arrangement has long blurred the boundaries of personal space between unfamiliar commuters. This spatial constraint has compelled commuters to adopt verbal communication as an adaptive strategy to navigate the tension between privacy and publicity. From this perspective, verbal communication becomes a form of negotiation between commuters and the bus. This negotiation results in a new dimension of the bus space, one based on shared stories and emotional resonance. In other words, through reclaiming privacy, commuters are unconsciously drawn to strengthen their social connections with their companions during the journey, coincidentally implying new significance to Route 73 through collective memories.
Therefore, it can be concluded that Route 73 is a multi-dimensional space sustained through serial acts of surrender, designed to maintain the pre-established urban social network by forcing its commuters to endlessly yield to its operation in order to carry out daily activities. It is a reflection of how public infrastructures function in actual practice, revealing the reality of how social networks in the urban landscape are continuously built and reinforced through compulsory decision-making by its residents.
Bibliography:
Mattern, S. (2013) Infrastructural Tourism. Places Journal, July. Available at: https://placesjournal.org/article/infrastructural-tourism/ (Accessed: 5 October 2025).
Perec, G. (1997) Species of Spaces and Other Pieces. Translated by J. Sturrock. London: Penguin Books.
