Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Design 1900 to Now, Room 76

Air Routes of the World (Night)

Print
2001 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell work with a variety of media such as sculpture and reliefs and, more recently, prints. In their work they explore the systems of communication that codify our world.

This print, Air Routes of the World (Night), is a part of a diptych. The image in the pair of prints is based on the airline route network across the world. In this print it is seen on a white surface, while in its pair, Air Routes of the World (Day), the surface is black. The airports appear as dots, and the routes are lines between them. The airports create patterns similar to star constellations in the sky. This image offers an alternative map of the world, where air travel defines the important locations. It also makes its subject abstract, because the image of the world is pared down to the airport locations and nothing else. The theme is specific, yet the visual appearance allows interpretation. The pattern somehow communicates a longing for far-away places, either elsewhere in the world or in the sky.

Delve deeper

Discover more about this object
view Mapping the imagination Maps are simplified schematic diagrams that employ a universal visual language through which we codify and comprehend our world. We all use maps in our daily lives as sources of information about places, routes, networks, and boundaries. They offer us the means of describing and understand...
read Digital art & design dictionary The V&A has a long history of engaging with contemporary modes of creative production. Since its foundation in 1852, the museum has been actively collecting the latest examples of art, design and manufacturing to showcase not only the newest creative thinking, but also the cutting-edge tec...

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleAir Routes of the World (Night) (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Screenprint
Brief description
Langlands and Bell; 'Air Routes of the World (Night)', screenprint: Britain, 2001
Physical description
One of a pair of screenprints (white lines on a black background) describing an atlas through the air routes of the world (see E.10-2002)
Dimensions
  • Height: 84cm
  • Width: 143.8cm
  • Framed size height: 90cm
  • Framed size width: 150.5cm
Gallery label
  • Based on the routes between airports, these prints construct alternative maps of a world shaped and defined by air travel. They have the precision and scientific objectivity of diagrams, but evoke ideas of adventure and escape associated with flying. The Night version, with white dots against a black ground, looks like a map of star constellations in the night sky. (11/09/2017)
  • Langlands & Bell work with a variety of media to explore the systems of communication that codify our world. This print diptych is based on the global network of international airline routes. Similar to star constellations in the sky, they offer an alternative map of the world where air travel defines the important locations.(2007)
Credit line
Purchased through the Julie and Robert Breckman Print Fund
Subjects depicted
Summary
Ben Langlands and Nikki Bell work with a variety of media such as sculpture and reliefs and, more recently, prints. In their work they explore the systems of communication that codify our world.

This print, Air Routes of the World (Night), is a part of a diptych. The image in the pair of prints is based on the airline route network across the world. In this print it is seen on a white surface, while in its pair, Air Routes of the World (Day), the surface is black. The airports appear as dots, and the routes are lines between them. The airports create patterns similar to star constellations in the sky. This image offers an alternative map of the world, where air travel defines the important locations. It also makes its subject abstract, because the image of the world is pared down to the airport locations and nothing else. The theme is specific, yet the visual appearance allows interpretation. The pattern somehow communicates a longing for far-away places, either elsewhere in the world or in the sky.
Associated object
E.10-2002 (Set)
Collection
Accession number
E.9-2002

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 6, 2003
Record URL
Download as: JSON