Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Explore Latin America Using Maps

A mapping exhibition, "Walk Map. Exploring key Latin America" (in Spanish, “Paseo en Mapa. Explorando las claves de América Latina”) is presently on in the National Library of Chile. It is part of the bicentennial activities of the Department of Library Archives and Museums (DIBAM), Chile.

The exhibition will remain open until 26 November, 2010. In parallel, discussions will be conducted by cartographers and historians, who will talk about maps, its importance in everyday life and appreciate the changes they have experienced throughout history. There will also be free guided tours for students and general public. A workshop has also been organised where they will make their own maps.

After a thorough investigation of more than three years, specialists from across the Latin American continent, identified unique maps preserved in the US, Spain, Mexico and Brazil; and displayed them along with valuable maps from the National Library and National Archives of Chile. For example, the first map of Chile by Claudio Gay in 1844 is on display.

The exhibition traces the history of the Latin American continent, from discovery to independence, taking the visitor through the intense political, social and economic problems.

These maps are also providing insight into the diversity of American territory and the way it has acquired its present appearance. That's why along with maps, armour, swords and weapons from the colonial period from the Museum of National History are also displayed.

The exhibition also features the work of a contemporary artist as a way of deepening the relationship of cartography and everyday life.
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