Popped along to the British Library on Saturday to see their rather marvelous Magnificent Maps exhibition. The display was very well presented, showing not just a history of maps and map-making but explaining some of the different reasons maps area created. There is always an agenda in creating a map, and understanding this can give all sorts of clues to the views and politics of the time in and place in which it was made.
The one piece which captured my attention for longest was Stephen Walter’s hand-drawn The Island. It depicts Greater London as it it were an island in a sea surrounded by satelite island-suburbs. The detail is phenominal.
I’d urge anyone in the area to go along. The BL is open late on Tuesdays as well as opening weekends, so you have no excuses.
