Aram Bartholl

english / deutsch

Movie 2min: Quicktime or YouTube

The project “Map” is a public space installation questioning the red map markers of the location based search engine Google Maps.

“Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.” The web interface of Google Maps makes use of small graphical icons to illustrate location related search results. The service displays the first page of 10 search results on the specific map section localized by red map markers in alphabetical order (A- J). The virtual map pins in their specific shape seam to be derived from physical, needle like map markers. But the way they are used in the digital map these markers do underlie additional rules. On one hand the marker and information speech bubble next to it do cast shadows onto the map as if they were physical objects. When the map is switched to satellite mode it seams that they become part of the city. On the other hand these graphical icons of 20 pixel size stay always at the same size on the computer screen. It looks like they sit on a separate layer while ignoring the changing scale factor of the map. In relation to the displayed city map they shrink or grow while the user zooms in or out of the map. The size of the ‘life size’ rebuilt red marker in physical reality corresponds to the size of a marker in the web interface in maximal zoom factor of the map.

Transferred to physical space the map marker questions the relation of the digital information space to every day life public city space. In which way will location related data from the net become ‘visible’ in physical space? How is reality and truth balanced between the physical world and the net data space?

Thanks to Holger and Michael for the help.

Aram Bartholl 2006
www.datenform.de

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