I Need a New 2020 Roadmap
Got transported to another universe for a sec👽🛸
I feel like some of Julie Mehretu’s works are mesmerizing maps to another dimension. I look at a piece like this and want to be pulled into this black hole of dynamic movement and dancing color. And I’m not crazy with the whole map idea. She was inspired by urban landscapes, the growth of cities and the ever expanding world of the internet and digital environments. The way a city tells a story and transforms over time is similar to the way Mehretu’s works evolve.
“Congress” by Julie Mehretu, 2003
She usually begins with some foundational geometric form, then paints/draws elements or erases them according to how the elements work together. The subtracted parts of the work are like experiences or memories that helped to shape the beautiful, complicated completed piece, but are no longer needed or served its purpose. *Reminds self that life is fleeting!* Her large scale works somehow feel like different points in time and a bunch of different perspectives are combined into one futuristic map. Oh and speaking of all things futuristic, doesn’t this also remind you of Italian Futurism? Like all those vibes of speed, technology, geometry? Anywayyyyy, in addition to the vibe of being a city plan or roadmap, this also feels like a sprawling network or web. There’s tons of layers and textures (paint combined with drawing) that create a super diverse and rich environment. Diversity is its strength! At first glance, all I saw was this lively energy and chaos but the more I look at it, the more I see the harmony of each piece. All the separate elements communicate and work with each other in complex ways. IDK but I look at it and it encourages me to be like fuck yeah, I’m getting pulled into something a bit unknown, but I’m going to go with the flow, try to adapt and be all in.
Mehretu was born in Ethiopia, raised in Michigan and has lived and worked in NY since 1999.