Connecting the spots
The San José First Fridays Art Walk maps were created for engaging visitors to connect the galleries to the larger experience of their night. The project focused on building connections between the gallery and local businesses in the neighborhood and explored into alternative methods for communicating maps.
For reference and engagement
Maps
In observing gallery patrons, it was interesting how they did not always complete the art walk or continue down the street in a linear path. The galleries became a hub for visitors going to other activities. Each map placed the focus on the gallery's location, citing the distance as a reference to other local restaurants and businesses visitors could go to. The goal in this was to encourage the overall event of the Art Walk beyond the art galleries. A reference map, both as a poster and as a pocket map, was made to give all experience possibilities.
Each gallery had its distinct personalities and curation style, yet they all were part of an artist community that promoted in the once-a-month event. This was an additional element and resulted in mapping explorations into multiple mediums.
Alternative format
Focusing the idea on point A and point B, with many possible paths in between, paper airplane was a metaphor of a quick creative outlet with multiple flight outcomes. This represented the unknown direction, yet a certain path, similar to the footpath of the different gallery patrons that came and went. A paper airplane was easy to make served as a brochure for basic information about the art featured. Visitors encouraged to go to the next gallery of the series.
Map explorations with different mediums to reflect different personalities of the art gallery. For example, maps made of push-pinned yarn to represent the textile gallery, a cooper wire sculpture map to showcase potential perspective of a metals gallery, a print that evoked mechanical lines for an art technology gallery, etc.
