About Tafer Smith

Tafer Smith is an American artist from New York City that travels extensively with a vast collection of maps from ancient to the newest digital images. He attempts to integrate unique attributes and aspects of maps and shapes with a goal of relating the abstract with the definite and precise world of cartography. His work is multi-media and examines the intersection of modern art, maps as ‘art’ and the current movement of digital mapping with its explosive new styles and colors. He also focuses on the dwindling knowledge of society to understand its own geography in a digital age. His collections also shed light on the physical maps that have faded from use but provide a real window into how people explored and understood the world in the past and how they may see it in the future. His other works play on the unique connections between modern art geometry, repetitive shapes and chaos. These works consider how order and chaos work together or fight one another over time.

Tafer seeks to raise  awareness of the incredible beauty of our planet.  As fewer and fewer people use traditional maps, their natural artistry will continue to fade.  Tafer's work combines abstract art, digital media, cartography and a host of materials in order to highlight beauty and artistry in map making. His intention is to enlighten his viewers to realize how beautiful the physical world can be when we just focus on places all around us.