Hormazd Narielwalla Collaborates with the Royal Geographical Society to Create a Large-scale Artwork Inspired by the Iconic Map Room
London-based British-Indian artist Hormazd Narielwalla has collaborated with the Royal Geographical Society to create a large-scale, multiple part painting, Expanding Universe, that will be hung for a five-year period in their iconic Map Room. Monthly tours of the new work in situ will take place until the end of the year, following which, visits will be available by appointment.
Narielwalla is known for his practice that combines collage and repurposed vintage, bespoke tailoring patterns. These act as frameworks for bold geometric patterns through which he expresses ideas about identity and migration whilst simultaneously exploring aesthetic principles of line, form and space.
Expanding Universe was developed after extensive research into the Society’s map collection, which comprises over one million sheets of maps and charts, 3,000 atlases, 40 globes and 1,000 gazetteers. The earliest printed cartographic item in the collection dates back to 1485, and contemporary cartographic materials are regularly added.
The artwork was then created in Narielwalla’s Shoreditch studio, taking the form of 15 interlinked canvases, which cumulatively form a map of the Universe, spanning 6.5 metres in length and 4 metres in width. Each one of the panels is made over the templates of intricate German tailoring patterns, originally made out of multiple anatomical maps found at a flea market in Berlin by one of his friends. These form the foundation of the work - an abstract maze of complex notations that imply the infinity of the Universe. Amongst the fine tracery of lines, are circles which suggest distant planets in the abyss of space, or the geometric formation of multiple linear solar systems.
He also incorporates references from the Society’s historical archive including monsters, sea creatures and mythical characters popular in 15th century cartography. The motif of ships from a Victorian hand drawn map of the Red Sea by an unknown Indian naval officer, act as a metaphor for the successful Indian shuttle landing on the moon and the assumption that India’s space adventures will continue into the unknown.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*
Narielwalla is known for his practice that combines collage and repurposed vintage, bespoke tailoring patterns. These act as frameworks for bold geometric patterns through which he expresses ideas about identity and migration whilst simultaneously exploring aesthetic principles of line, form and space.
Expanding Universe was developed after extensive research into the Society’s map collection, which comprises over one million sheets of maps and charts, 3,000 atlases, 40 globes and 1,000 gazetteers. The earliest printed cartographic item in the collection dates back to 1485, and contemporary cartographic materials are regularly added.
The artwork was then created in Narielwalla’s Shoreditch studio, taking the form of 15 interlinked canvases, which cumulatively form a map of the Universe, spanning 6.5 metres in length and 4 metres in width. Each one of the panels is made over the templates of intricate German tailoring patterns, originally made out of multiple anatomical maps found at a flea market in Berlin by one of his friends. These form the foundation of the work - an abstract maze of complex notations that imply the infinity of the Universe. Amongst the fine tracery of lines, are circles which suggest distant planets in the abyss of space, or the geometric formation of multiple linear solar systems.
He also incorporates references from the Society’s historical archive including monsters, sea creatures and mythical characters popular in 15th century cartography. The motif of ships from a Victorian hand drawn map of the Red Sea by an unknown Indian naval officer, act as a metaphor for the successful Indian shuttle landing on the moon and the assumption that India’s space adventures will continue into the unknown.
Want to read more of this article?
We are proud to be a subscriber-funded publication with members in 185 countries. We know our readership is passionate about textiles, so we invite you to help us preserve and promote the stories, memories, and histories that fabric holds. Your support allows us to publish our magazine, and also ‘what's on’ information, and subscription interviews, reviews, and long-read articles in our online blog.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? CLICK HERE TO ACCESS CONTENT
OR...to continue reading….
*Magazine subscribers automatically get free access to all our online content. We send the access code by email with the publication of each issue. You will also find it on the envelope containing your magazine. Please note the access code changes every issue.*