Junko Yoda: Flight Maps

Altitude 36,000 feet, Ground Speed 590 mph, Outside Air Temperature -67 Degrees Fahrenheit, the map on the monitor was showing Fairbanks, Alaska. I looked down at the earth from my window and recognized a group of lights in the pitch –dark earth.                                                                                           During my travels on airplanes, for more than ten years I have been taking photographs of Flight Maps on video screens located in front of my seat. I always make sure that I sit window side whenever I take a flight. I became fascinated by the information shown on the screen. The maps, the altitude, time to destination, etc., During a 15 hour flight to Japan, I took photographs throughout the flight. I had always wanted to use this theme and photos for my work. Recently, I found a new way to use the Flight Maps in my work. Instead of just painting the Flight Maps onto canvas, I decided to create a three dimensional globe of the earth. I used baseballs, softballs, and tennis balls. Then I wrapped them with papier mache and glued computer printouts of the Flight Maps. After that, I hand painted on top of the globes. Then I had to create a space to put the globe in. I wanted to create an environment that would pull the viewer into the infinity of space and infinity of time. I created that space by using aluminum mesh wastepaper baskets. I covered them with papier mache, acrylic paint, various colors, some with blue light projected from above so when the viewer looks down into the space, they will see planet earth and experience the feeling of being a part of the vast infinite void of space.

Exhibition organized and curated for Gallery MC by Natasa Simovska Poposki