Yanko Tihov | London Passport Map | 2015 | Archival print hand gilded with 23 carat shell gold | Edition of 30 | 61 x
83.7 cm
"I find it fascinating that in an increasingly globalised world people remain dependant on the impersonal view of a
bureaucratic system which uses prejudice and historic precedent to decide who holds the 'wrong' or 'right' passport
cover. This makes us victims of a complicated set of laws and jurisdictions which reduces people to nothing but a
number, whose given quality lies in the cover of their passport, regardless of their individual creativity" August 2015
Yanko Tihov's limited edition print London Passport Map offers a fascinating snapshot of the wonderfully diverse nature of
England's capital, having been constructed using the passports of the various foreign passport holders residing in
London, as documented in the latest census. The design of the map is determined by the colours and motifs of the
passports, each of which is carefully matched and embedded within the boroughs of London. The passport cover's texts,
seals and coat of arms have been hand painted by the artist in 23 carat gold, adding a unique layer which beautifully
reflects and enlivens the surface.
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