Doodling maps of my neighborhood has been a passion since childhood, a way to locate oneself and also record memories. My quarantine map extends the sights and sounds of my immediate surroundings: the studio at home, the little garden outside, my night-time walking paths, as well as the places I’ve physically and virtually transported myself to during the lockdown. These appear in the form of a montage of objects, creatures, poetic meanderings, aerial topographies and plans viewed through binocular frames. My map is a metaphor for time and space twisted by the imposition of a new and constrained frame of reference, bringing together far-flung places that now exist together. The north Indian rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna, also feature, binding the physical, the temporal, and the spiritual with their fluid, shape-shifting forms and transporting us through our new, permanently distorted reality. Going from a fast-paced life on the road to being grounded at home for several months has been a shock, yet welcome in many ways: It has slowed down time and made us more alert to the sounds of birds, the much clearer skies, new walking trails and stories to explore, and certainly has given us the opportunity to look inwards.
Diverse in style and content, yet deeply connected by the theme, the map shows how coronavirus has transformed the places we live. Beloved people, places, and activities were suddenly out of reach. Food, shelter, and other basics were vested with elevated importance; so were access to nature, creative outlets, and a sense of social connection. This was published by Bloomberg CITYLAB in June 2020.
