wimbe

is an artistic installation conceived by Guido Picardi and Luca Paolo Cirillo, PhD student in international studies at the University of Naples L’Orientale and co-founder of Mad Med.

wimbe is a performative research project on the European space:

Where does it start?
Where does it end?
What do you mean by ‘Europe’?

‘Europe’ is an ambiguous concept, laying in different shades. The multiplicity of the line that borders the European space prevents us from drawing its shape with conventional methods and this complexity brings with it an implicit request for new methods of representation.

Combining cartography and visual arts, wimbe searches for Europe in a series of alternative maps. It is an open project and under development: so far, it offers 11 transparencies depicting physiographic, political and cultural interpretations of Europe. The base projection is a Winkle Triple.

Physiographic maps show different ways in which the European continent can be defined and delimited on the basis of important geographical and geological features.The political maps depict the major European political associations. Finally, the cultural maps show the cultural features that are common ground for Europeans and highlight where else in the world these features exist with a strong presence.

The possible overlaps are infinite. Through the use of an overhead projector, Europe is continuously produced and dismantled in a series of colored spots on a white wall. Those who explore wimbe are part of the very aesthetic of the installation, they perform just like the maps do.

wimbe is a tool, a test, or rather, a joke – imagination is the basis of the whole process. With this work, we push for a radical change in the methodologies of representation, towards a more flexible use of the border line.

To watch other installation videos click here.
If you liked this project, you might also be interested in Make a boat!