Lost 1999

Editor: Here we have Kathy Prendergast’s "Lost," a very large map of the USA. It's so detailed, almost scientific, but the title gives me a feeling of unease. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: The means of production interest me. Maps, traditionally tools of power and control, are repurposed here. The labour involved in creating this detailed image contrasts sharply with the implied feeling of disorientation. Consider also the consumerism inherent in map-making itself. What does it mean to commodify a landscape? Editor: So, the map, usually a symbol of finding your way, becomes something else entirely? I never thought of it that way. Curator: Precisely. And by calling it "Lost", Prendergast is perhaps questioning our very relationship with the environment and our place within it. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about! Thanks for sharing.