Cosmic Maps

A free day of public talks exploring the many ways individuals and cultures have imagined, measured and mapped the cosmos and worlds beyond ordinary sight. Bringing together historians, writers, artists and researchers, Cosmic Maps will journey from medieval cosmologies and sacred geographies to subterranean worlds, deep oceans, fictional and gothic landscapes, soundscapes and contemporary astronomy. The event will also feature displays of new and innovative approaches to mapping, alongside a bookstall featuring publications by participating speakers and related titles. ATTENDANCE IS FREE WITH ADVANCE BOOKING through the Warburg Institute website. A distinguished line-up of speakers will delve into a wide range of subjects, encompassing early scientific concepts of the subterranean world and oceanography, the charting of sacred spaces, and the human cosmos. They will examine humanity's enduring fascination with the night sky, alongside mapping celestial phenomena, fantasy worlds in outer space, and acoustic landscapes in liminal spaces. Full Programme: 10:30 - Coffee / opens 10:45 - Welcome and introduction 11:00-12:00 – Panel 1: Subterranean Worlds: Adam Lowe (Factum Arte) & Helen Snaith (National Oceanography Centre) 12:10-13:10 – Panel 2: Sacred Spaces: Alessandro Scafi (Warburg Institute) & Diwakar Acharya (Oxford) Lunch (not catered) 14:30-15:30 – Panel 3: Gothic and Sci Fi Maps: James Machin (Goldsmiths) & Roger Luckhurst (Birkbeck) 15:45-16:45 – Panel 4: Mapping the Cosmos: Jo Marchant & John Tresch (Warburg) 17:00-18:00 – Panel 5: The Sound Atlas: Michaela Vieser and Isaac Yuen Break 18:30-20:00 – Drinks reception: UK launch of the paperback edition of Michaela Vieser and Isaac Yuen's The Sound Atlas, Reaktion, 2027