Maps

Stephen Walters creates graphic maps that are accurate representations of urban landscapes. Shops, main roads, landmarks, built up areas and green areas are all represented in his maps that require magnifying glasses to view.
Walters covers every space with informative but humorous symbols. His maps looks like an ordinary map of London form afar but up close displays a story of words and symbols of London.

The Island

Detail of The Island

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These children live with a stifling awareness of territory. Until now, these psycho geographical studies have been uncharted.

Over two years studies have been carries out in the United Kingdom to find out where young people feel safe, where they feel at risk and why.

A 15 year old from north London was asked if he had ever been attacked for stepping into someone’s territory and he replied ,’ Nah, I would never be caught slipping like that. Slipping is when you are out of your area on your own with no weapons, its vulnerable’.

A map drawn by a 15 year old boy, depicting exactly the same neighbourhood as the girls map in diagram 5, also highlighting two rival neighbourhoods. But when he was asked why his map was much emptier, he says it was because there was ‘nothing to do’ in the neighbourhood!

The Guardian 14/10/08