The world in a mirror : world maps from the Middle Ages to the present day.
The Earth's surface area is 510 million square kilometres. For centuries, humans all around the world have tried to make Earth's massive size comprehensible in a smaller format, namely in maps of the world.0Maps of the world, from past to present, show us what we know about the world. World maps are reflections of a spirit of the times. In the Christian Middle Ages, Jerusalem was the centre of the world maps. The unknown parts of the world were populated with monsters and fairy-tale figures. Explorations later expanded horizons. Eastern and Western knowledge came together. Globes were created. Now, thanks to Google's satellite maps, it seems like we know practically everything about the world. But is that true? "The World in a Mirror" depicts the history of the Western view of the world using unique maps and globes. Each century saw more and more of the world being mapped out, and the way in which that world was presented differend in each century too. A few contemporary artists add their own reflections of the world to this story. Exhibition: MAS, Antwerpen, Belgium (18.04-09.08.2015).
Exhibition catalogue.
Includes bibliographical references.
The Earth's surface area is 510 million square kilometres. For centuries, humans all around the world have tried to make Earth's massive size comprehensible in a smaller format, namely in maps of the world.0Maps of the world, from past to present, show us what we know about the world. World maps are reflections of a spirit of the times. In the Christian Middle Ages, Jerusalem was the centre of the world maps. The unknown parts of the world were populated with monsters and fairy-tale figures. Explorations later expanded horizons. Eastern and Western knowledge came together. Globes were created. Now, thanks to Google's satellite maps, it seems like we know practically everything about the world. But is that true? "The World in a Mirror" depicts the history of the Western view of the world using unique maps and globes. Each century saw more and more of the world being mapped out, and the way in which that world was presented differend in each century too. A few contemporary artists add their own reflections of the world to this story. Exhibition: MAS, Antwerpen, Belgium (18.04-09.08.2015).
Cartography