booth's map
Charles' Booth's 1889 Poverty Map of London is a great source of information about the social and economic environment in which many of my ancestors lived. As I viewed Booth's work, apart from documentary information I saw an approach to recording data that rang visual bells. It appeared strangely similar to the way in which 1960s Systems artists used data to generate art work.
When reporting data from the Inquiry into Life and Labour in London (1886-1903), Booth and his colleagues intended nothing more than clear representation. But it is a method of presentation that is also visually interesting. As with Systems art, data are associated with colours and the distribution of those colours determine the overall appearance of the end product.
Booth's colour coding system:
BLACK = LOWEST CLASS. VICIOUS SEMI-CRIMINAL
DARK BLUE = VERY POOR, CASUAL. CHRONIC WANT
LIGHT BLUE = POOR. 18s TO 20s A WEEK FOR A MODERATE FAMILY
PURPLE = MIXED. SOME COMFORTABLE OTHERS POOR
PINK = FAIRLY COMFORTABLE. GOOD ORDINARY EARNINGS
RED = MIDDLE CLASS. WELL-TO-DO
YELLOW = UPPER-MIDDLE CLASSES. WEALTHY
My series is seven works based on Booth's map represent areas of London for which I have family data. These works - acrylic on canvas 9"x9" - float in frames (15"x15") where boundaries and rail lines continue from the canvas onto and across the frame. Torn canvas edges acknowledge that my appropriations are simply fragments of Booth's complete story.
Unsurprisingly, I discovered that the streets inhabited by my ancestors were coded predominantly in Black, Dark Blue and Light Blue.
As an aside, I was interested to read that Beatrix Potter (Beatrice Potter Webb) was one of Booth's researchers. Victorian London was a far cry from the bucolic world of Peter Rabbit.
When reporting data from the Inquiry into Life and Labour in London (1886-1903), Booth and his colleagues intended nothing more than clear representation. But it is a method of presentation that is also visually interesting. As with Systems art, data are associated with colours and the distribution of those colours determine the overall appearance of the end product.
Booth's colour coding system:
BLACK = LOWEST CLASS. VICIOUS SEMI-CRIMINAL
DARK BLUE = VERY POOR, CASUAL. CHRONIC WANT
LIGHT BLUE = POOR. 18s TO 20s A WEEK FOR A MODERATE FAMILY
PURPLE = MIXED. SOME COMFORTABLE OTHERS POOR
PINK = FAIRLY COMFORTABLE. GOOD ORDINARY EARNINGS
RED = MIDDLE CLASS. WELL-TO-DO
YELLOW = UPPER-MIDDLE CLASSES. WEALTHY
My series is seven works based on Booth's map represent areas of London for which I have family data. These works - acrylic on canvas 9"x9" - float in frames (15"x15") where boundaries and rail lines continue from the canvas onto and across the frame. Torn canvas edges acknowledge that my appropriations are simply fragments of Booth's complete story.
Unsurprisingly, I discovered that the streets inhabited by my ancestors were coded predominantly in Black, Dark Blue and Light Blue.
As an aside, I was interested to read that Beatrix Potter (Beatrice Potter Webb) was one of Booth's researchers. Victorian London was a far cry from the bucolic world of Peter Rabbit.
the blitz map
In 2012, at the London Metropolitan Archives, I saw a wall display visually reminiscent of Booth's map. But, in this case, data represents World War 2 bomb damage.
As with Booth's map, Blitz data are colour-coded and recorded street by street, and house by house thus:
BLACK = TOTAL DESTRUCTION
PURPLE = DAMAGE BEYOND REPAIR
DARK RED = SERIOUSLY DAMAGED, DOUBTFUL IF REPAIRABLE
LIGHT RED = SERIOUSLY DAMAGED BUT REPAIRABLE AT COST
ORANGE = GENERAL BLAST DAMAGE, MINOR IN NATURE
YELLOW = BLAST DAMAGE, MINOR IN NATURE
LIGHT GREEN AND BLUE = CLEARANCE AREAS
o SMALL CIRCLE = V2 BOMB point of impact
O LARGE CIRCLE = V1 BOMB point of impact
Like the Booth series, my three works based on the Blitz map focus on streets where my ancestors lived. Each Blitz map is made up of a circle of paper (8 1/2" diameter) floating above a framed background (17" x 17"). As with the Booth maps, visual information extends onto the frames but the glass itself is etched to extend streets and also to incorporate circles that identify V1 & V2 Rocket impact areas.
As with Booth's map, Blitz data are colour-coded and recorded street by street, and house by house thus:
BLACK = TOTAL DESTRUCTION
PURPLE = DAMAGE BEYOND REPAIR
DARK RED = SERIOUSLY DAMAGED, DOUBTFUL IF REPAIRABLE
LIGHT RED = SERIOUSLY DAMAGED BUT REPAIRABLE AT COST
ORANGE = GENERAL BLAST DAMAGE, MINOR IN NATURE
YELLOW = BLAST DAMAGE, MINOR IN NATURE
LIGHT GREEN AND BLUE = CLEARANCE AREAS
o SMALL CIRCLE = V2 BOMB point of impact
O LARGE CIRCLE = V1 BOMB point of impact
Like the Booth series, my three works based on the Blitz map focus on streets where my ancestors lived. Each Blitz map is made up of a circle of paper (8 1/2" diameter) floating above a framed background (17" x 17"). As with the Booth maps, visual information extends onto the frames but the glass itself is etched to extend streets and also to incorporate circles that identify V1 & V2 Rocket impact areas.
mitochondrial mapping box
With genealogical research at the root of my work during this period, census returns and Victorian maps identified places of residence. Where they were in residence, heads of household were invariably male.
For the exhibition Boxed-In, I focused on my daughter's female line tracking back in time via my wife, my mother-in-law and so on through six generations.
Mitochondrial Mapping Box comprises six cubes that nest one within the other in the spirit of Russian Matryoshka dolls. The cubes serve to contain and connote time and space. Each wooden lid is carved with a map and the central area features a piece of etched glass. The result is that the box-to-box layering of glass creates the suggestion of a pool of water. To look through the glass from top down, is to look through space and time from London, Canada (1971), via London, England to Devon (1835). Spiralling up the side of each box is indented text that identifies the individual for whom the box is made. The largest box (12" x 12" x 12") contains five boxes the smallest of which has a solid, gold-leafed top.
For the exhibition Boxed-In, I focused on my daughter's female line tracking back in time via my wife, my mother-in-law and so on through six generations.
Mitochondrial Mapping Box comprises six cubes that nest one within the other in the spirit of Russian Matryoshka dolls. The cubes serve to contain and connote time and space. Each wooden lid is carved with a map and the central area features a piece of etched glass. The result is that the box-to-box layering of glass creates the suggestion of a pool of water. To look through the glass from top down, is to look through space and time from London, Canada (1971), via London, England to Devon (1835). Spiralling up the side of each box is indented text that identifies the individual for whom the box is made. The largest box (12" x 12" x 12") contains five boxes the smallest of which has a solid, gold-leafed top.
