The Map and the Territory

The idea, referenced by Baudrillard, is actually outlined in a very short story called On Exactitude in Science. The map creates a kind of fictional world, and from a fictitious quote. Baudrillard focused on the dominance of the simulation whereas in some respects this essay goes further, predicting the decline of such a map. It is a fictional representation that cannot continue to exist as it is useless – gradually it is reduced to shreds. Noting the phrase “Deserts of the West”, this could be read as a warning about climate change – the evolution of practical existence will wipe out the facade we have created…

On Exactitude in Science

…In that Empire, the Art of Cartography attained such Perfection that the map of a
single Province occupied the entirety of a City, and the map of the Empire, the entirety
of a Province. In time, those Unconscionable Maps no longer satisfied, and the
Cartographers Guilds struck a Map of the Empire whose size was that of the Empire, and
which coincided point for point with it. The following Generations, who were not so
fond of the Study of Cartography as their Forebears had been, saw that that vast Map
was Useless, and not without some Pitilessness was it, that they delivered it up to the
Inclemencies of Sun and Winters. In the Deserts of the West, still today, there are
Tattered Ruins of that Map, inhabited by Animals and Beggars; in all the Land there is
no other Relic of the Disciplines of Geography.
—Suarez Miranda,Viajes devarones prudentes, Libro IV,Cap. XLV, Lerida, 16

(Hurley, 1999)

The idea, almost in reverse, is given an appropriately surreal treatment by Lewis Carroll. Note that the 1895 publication predates Borges’ birth in 1899:

“What a useful thing a pocket-map is!” I remarked.

“That’s another thing we’ve learned from your Nation,” said Mein Herr, “map-making. But we’ve carried it much further than you. What do you consider the largest map that would be really useful?”

“About six inches to the mile.”

“Only six inches!” exclaimed Mein Herr. “We very soon got to six yards to the mile. Then we tried a hundred yards to the mile. And then came the grandest idea of all ! We actually made a map of the country, on the scale of a mile to the mile!”

“Have you used it much?” I enquired.

“It has never been spread out, yet,” said Mein Herr: “the farmers objected: they said it would cover the whole country, and shut out the sunlight ! So we now use the country itself, as its own map, and I assure you it does nearly as well.”

(Carroll, 1895:169)

This idea could be adapted for the purpose of my project – by 3D printing scans of the landscape we are of course making a type of map. This could be displayed as part of an exhibition and/or photographed in situ. I have been wondering about how to link photographs of the site with the modelling – this could be a route? Taking this further, I could 3D print exact copies of some of the pebbles on the beach and leave them in situ, photographing them as they are gradually scattered? They are biodegradable but this might be seen as litter, might need permission, etc…?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Hurley, A.(1999) Jorge Luis Borges: Collected Fictions. Extract At: https://kwarc.info/teaching/TDM/Borges.pdf (Accessed 6.1.2023)
2. Carroll, L. (1895) Sylvie and Bruno Concluded. London: Macmillan. At: https://ia600206.us.archive.org/8/items/sylviebrunoconcl00carriala/sylviebrunoconcl00carriala.pdf (Accessed 6.1.2023)