As a representational tool, this map shows the galleries and museums in New York City, using data provided by NYC Open Data. The map raises questions about data collection: How does the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) classify galleries and museums? How is this data collected? What organizations have been excluded?
This map also challenges conventional attributes of maps, particularly in free and open source software. Adjusting the sizes of the markers and colors of the map layers may yield unexpected results. These actions provoke questions relating to the visual qualities of maps: Does water necessarily have to be blue? If the water and landscape are the same color, is it still recognizable as a map? What are the elements needed for a map to be seen as such? When does this map of art organizations no longer appear as a map and instead look like art itself?