Arctic Circle, Equator, and Latitude New York City are nested in three concentric circles in relationship to their geographic coordinates. The artist presents the surface topographies (mountain ranges, valleys, and oceans) of these latitudes but turns the outer layer of the planet upward making it viewable on a contiguous plain. Likewise, 74° West Meridian and 106° East Meridian visualize the longitudinal connection between seemingly far apart locations on the planet from the North to South Poles.
How humans experience and impact the landscape is of primary concern to Maya Lin, one of the foremost artists of our time whose ecologically inspired works exist at the intersection of art, architecture, and environmental science. Using technological methods to study and visualize the natural world, Lin takes macro and micro views of the Earth—via sonar resonance scans, and aerial and satellite mapping devices—and translates that information into expressive sculptures, drawings, and sited installations.