anthropocene: google maps reinterpreted as persian rugs

‘anthropocene’ by david thomas smithfimiston open pit, kalgoorlie-boulder, western australia, australia, 2009-1080 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment printimage © david thomas smith

david thomas smith
the copper house gallery, dublin
march 21st to april 16th, 2013

dublin-based artist david thomas smith has created a series of images composited from thousands of thumbnails extracted as screen grabs from google maps. the photographs are then reconstructed piece by piece using photoshop to produce such incredibly detailed images, drawing upon the patterns and motifs used by persian rug makers. ‘anthropocene’ reflects upon the complex structures that make up the centres of global capitalism, transforming the aerial landscapes of sites associated with industries such as oil, precious metals, consumer culture information and excess. the plethora of seemingly insignificant coded pieces of information are sown together like knots in a rug to reveal a grander spectacle – creating a collision between the old and the new, fact and fiction, surveillance and invisibility, contrastingthe global order of things.

burj dubai, dubai, united arab emirates, 2009-10lambda digital c-type print80 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print 150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment print image © david thomas smith

beijing international airport, beijing, people’s republic of china, 2009-10lambda digital c-type print80 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print 150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment print image © david thomas smith

delta coal port, vancouver, british columbia, canada, 2009-10lambda digital c-type print80 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print 150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment print image © david thomas smith

las vegas, nevada, united states of america, 2009-10lambda digital c-type print80 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print 150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment print image © david thomas smith

las norias de daza, almeria, spain, 2009-10lambda digital c-type print80 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print 150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment print image © david thomas smith

1000 chrysler dr, auburn hills, MI, united states, 2009-10lambda digital c-type print80 x 120cm, 120 x 180cm: lambda digital c-type print 150 x 225cm: fine art pearl archival pigment print image © david thomas smith

via gizmodo