Tam Joseph, The Hand Made Map of the World, 2013

Tam Joseph b. 1947

The Hand Made Map of the World, 2013

acrylic on board

70.7 x 121.2 cm

2016-16

Photo: Bridgeman Images

1947, Roseau, Dominica– Immigrated to the UK in 1955 Joseph’s map is at once familiar and completely new: the recognisable shapes of present-day countries remain, yet each carries an unexpected...

1947, Roseau, Dominica–

Immigrated to the UK in 1955

Joseph’s map is at once familiar and completely new: the recognisable shapes of present-day countries remain, yet each carries an unexpected name. Hierarchies between rulers and the subaltern collapse, as do assumptions about orientation, identity, and belonging. The world is recast as a patchwork

of arbitrary borders and invented divisions, where power and vulnerability appear subject to the whims of unseen authorities shaping the political map.

Ben Uri Collection

Presented by the artist, 1993