A Never-Ending Map Of Imaginary Cities

Artist spends decades creating an always-growing hand-drawn paper map of an imaginary place. Development is determined by drawing a random card from a custom deck of cards.

1 minute read

September 5, 2013, 2:00 PM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


Since 1963,  Jerry Gretzinger has been drawing and painting an ever-growing paper map filled with imaginary cities, rivers, lakes, railroads, airports, highways, & farmlands. He uses a photocopier, pens, and paints and keeps track of the growing map's over 2600 "tiles" in a spreadsheet.

"Now Jerry uses a specially crafted deck of cards to determine the outcome of his world, with fictitious cities like “Plaeides,” “Wybourne” and the largest, “Ukrainia.” Each day he draws cards to see how a page of his gigantic map will be modified, with perhaps the most unusual card being the 'void.' With this card a blank spot is put on the map, wiping out previous details completely and opening up a world of new possibility. "

http://vimeo.com/6745866

The map was on exhibit at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2012. A zoomable version of the map is available online.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013 in Visual News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

People walking up and down stairs in New York City subway station.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving

Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

April 18 - Scientific American

White public transit bus with bike on front bike rack in Nashville, Tennessee.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan

Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

April 18 - Bloomberg CityLab

An engineer controlling a quality of water ,aerated activated sludge tank at a waste water treatment plant.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding

The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.

April 18 - Smart Cities Dive