Plattegrond van Amsterdam 1842

Daniël Veelwaard's "Plattegrond van Amsterdam," presents us with a detailed map, a symbolic representation of order and control. Here, the star, traditionally a symbol of guidance, is refigured not to navigate the seas, but to orient the city itself. The act of mapping itself is a primal desire to understand and command our surroundings. This impulse can be traced back to antiquity with maps etched onto clay tablets, each reflecting a culture's desire to chart its world. This echoes in the modern-day, as we continually map new territories. The map becomes a canvas for our collective memories and a symbol of our ambition to structure the chaos of existence. The very act of creating a map engages with the human psyche, and it transforms into a form of collective memory.