about Cartographies of the Immaterial
Ink on Cut Paper, Latex Paint, Steel, Adhesive
approximately 54 x 54 inches,
2015
Crossing through the air above our heads is a continual exchange of information made via the invisible pathways of radio and microwave signals—portions of the electromagnetic spectrum undetectable by humans. By marking the points of transmission—such as radio and TV broadcast antennae, closed network microwave transmitters, and cell towers—maps can be drawn that reveal the distribution and concentrations of these immaterial exchanges. Utilizing licensing information from the Federal Communications Commission, I am able to find the locations of all of the registered transmission dishes and antenna in a specific geographic region. Representing each site as a small circle, I trace out the points of exchange onto a large sheet of paper. I finish the piece by cutting around the circles, leaving small bridges of paper connecting each spot to those surrounding it. The final piece is a lacework of branching red dots that closely resembles the pathways of synaptic connections within the brain.
The resulting compositions appear at first as abstract constellations, but are instead overlapping matrices of topography, population densities, economic activity, civic centers, and corridors of physical transit. This process of making cartographies of immaterial exchange allows geographic areas to be viewed and understood in new ways, making visible networks and systems that operate outside of our ability to perceive.