I will propose a journey into the world of experimental cartography. By experimental (or critical) we mean to introduce a specific cartographical practice, implemented individually or collectively in a participative way, either by geographers, artists, activists, researchers, journalists, architects, urban planners, etc. The experimental cartography uses codes, semiology and visual approaches of the so called conventional cartography, but for an objective oriented to better understand and make visible facts, phenomenon or trends which are usually either invisible or hidden to the public or the civil society. It is definitely oriented to promote more social justice, denounce and report on human rights abuses such as, for example, too much control, spying and surveillance on citizens, too much wealth grabbing, too many tight links in between heads of states and executive leaders of transnational private companies. 

About Philippe Rekacewicz

Philippe Rekacewicz is a geographer, cartographer and information designer. After earning his degree in geography from the University of Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne), he worked at Le Monde diplomatique from 1988 to 2014. Between 1996 and 2008, he headed in parallel the cartographic department of GRID-Arendal in Norway, a delocalized office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). He is a specialist in geopolitics and inter - national relations. His interests include questions relating to migration, refugees, forced displacement of populations, and borders. He is presently working on several socio-geographic projects on the creation of public and private space and the perception and representation of borders. He is keenly interested in the relationships between cartography, art, science, and politics. Since 2006, he has participated in cartographic-artistic projects in a number of European countries. He is also conducting research into “experimental cartography”.