Sketch for World Map Part 1 (Americas, Pacific) 1972

Editor: Here we have Oyvind Fahlstrom's "Sketch for World Map Part 1," showing the Americas and Pacific. It's undated, but it's densely packed with information and imagery. What’s your take on Fahlstrom's artistic process here? Curator: The medium itself—pen and ink on paper—speaks to accessibility, a DIY approach to critiquing power structures. What kind of labor went into it? It's about the production and dissemination of information, challenging who gets to define global narratives. Editor: So, the act of mapping itself is being questioned? Curator: Precisely. Think about the paper as a commodity, the ink's origins, the labor needed to create these materials. The dense imagery becomes a form of consumption, a visual overload reflecting the bombardment of information in modern society. What systems are in play? Editor: I didn't initially see it that way, but understanding the materiality makes the message much clearer. Curator: Exactly! By focusing on the "how" and "what" of its making, we uncover Fahlstrom's commentary on global economics.