Oriented with South at the top, this “upside-down” world map presents a disconcerting image, but clearly conveys a message that unconventional world views can be meaningful. Prepared for an organization that reports on global poverty and inequality, the map helps to teach “people to see the world from a broader, more inclusive perspective.” Traditional, north-oriented world maps emphasize Europe and North America, implying that other continents are less important. This contrary perspective places Africa and South America in the center, suggesting that the southern hemisphere’s developing countries are equally important.
Exhibited: "Unconventional Maps: Exploring the Stories of Cartographic Curiosities" organized by the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library, 2011-2012.
IIIF Manifest