Cartologica

 

Installation Title: Cartologica- (ongoing project)

Medium: Cardboards and Atlas

Size: Variable

Year 2025

Cartologica is a fusion of two core concepts—cartography and logic—that together explore how we map and make sense of the world, both geographically and intellectually. Cartography, the practice of mapping, serves as the foundation for this installation, where hundreds of thin, flat, round cardboard shapes, each hollowed and filled with pages from atlases. These delicate pieces represent not only the physical act of mapping but also the mental landscapes we navigate—our memories, perceptions, and the shifting topographies of identity and history.

The use of atlas pages is intentional—maps are tools that shape our understanding of geography, but they are also tied to the act of migration, displacement, and exploration. These pages symbolize the diverse geographies we inhabit and the complex histories of movement that define both individual and collective identities. These maps, with their fragmented and overlapping territories, reflect the fluid nature of experience and the ongoing process of navigating between places, cultures, and memories.

The second part of the title, logic, introduces the intellectual framework that governs the creation of these maps. It points to the process by which we impose order on the world—through systems of knowledge, reason, and understanding. As we chart the world around us, we use logic to organize our experiences into something coherent, creating personal maps that help us navigate both space and time. The hollow centers of the cardboard pieces symbolize the gaps within memory—spaces between moments and places that remain fluid and malleable, shaped by evolving perspectives.

The cardboard itself serves as a symbol of movement—its lightweight, flexible nature evoking the transient, ever-changing conditions of migration and displacement. The organic arrangement of the pieces reflects the fluidity of migration, the movement from one place to another, and the process of re-establishing oneself in a new space, much like the constant reshaping of personal and collective identities.

In Cartologica, these two elements—cartography and logic—are not fixed. The installation challenges the traditional notion of maps as immutable or static, suggesting instead that our understanding of geography, memory, and identity is constantly shifting. The arrangement of the pieces reflects the unpredictable nature of life, where personal maps are in constant flux, reshaped by new experiences, shifting perspectives, and evolving ways of thinking.

The installation invite us to reflect on our own process of mapping—our personal journeys through time, place, and memory. Cartologica encourages us to reconsider the boundaries we draw in our lives, examining how they are influenced by both the logic of understanding and the fluid, ever-changing landscapes of our experiences.

“Read more about my upcoming exhibition Rhythms of Identity →”

Art as a Stubborn Journey to Empathy

  

Artworks from 'Atlas of Being ' series

 

Art as a Stubborn Journey to Empathy

Art is about being stubborn. It begins with the refusal to give in—to the pressures of conformity, the weight of doubt, or the noise of distractions. This stubbornness isn’t about arrogance; it’s about conviction. It’s about standing firm in the face of uncertainty, choosing to believe that something within you is worth exploring, worth bringing into existence, even if the world doesn’t immediately understand or value it.

But stubbornness isn’t without consequence. It thickens your skin. Rejections, misunderstandings, and failures become familiar companions, teaching you resilience. Over time, this "thickness" shields you from external judgment and self-doubt, allowing you to remain on the path, even when it feels like no one else sees what you see.

And yet, it’s in this space of stubborn persistence and thickened defenses that reflection begins. The solitude of creating—the repetition, the experimentation, the endless wrestling with ideas—forces you to look inward. You start to see yourself not just as the creator but as a human being in all your complexity: flawed, searching, vulnerable.

This self-reflection opens the door to empathy. As you navigate your own struggles, you recognize them in others. The stories you tell through your art become not just about you but about the shared experiences of humanity. Stubbornness, thick skin, and introspection evolve into compassion. You realize that art is not merely an act of self-expression; it’s a bridge to connect with others, to feel their joys, sorrows, and aspirations as if they were your own.

In the end, art is the process of being stubborn enough to create, thick enough to endure, and open enough to reflect. And in doing so, it transforms both the artist and the audience, fostering empathy in a world that so desperately needs it.