A Map Is Not A Territory

Artistic work - installation
Stored in
Roma (Italia)
Work technique
lightbox acetate printing
Year
Work dimensions
76,2 × 101,6 cm
Tags

In her artwork A Map Is Not A Territory, Fiamma Montezemolo challenges the conventional view of geographic maps as impartial scientific instruments commonly associated with ethnographic research. Instead, the artist manipulates and reimagines these maps to stimulate contemplation on colonial legacies, geopolitical shifts, and the dynamics of cultural amalgamation. The piece consists of two light boxes containing the illuminated outlines of the four continents superimposed on a black background. By juxtaposing these outlines in pairs, Montezemolo creates innovative cartographies that dissolve the physical and social distances between “first worlds” and “third worlds”. Her map reflects an unstable, evolving, and multifaceted geography, echoing the complexities of interactions and connections in our globalized world. The use of radiographic prints, evocative of medical x-rays, prompts viewers to look beyond surface appearances, fostering awareness of the concealed realities beneath the superficial “flesh” of our perceptions.