Subjective Atlases are bottom-up cartographic publications that map a country, region, or city by the inhabitants themselves. It’s a form of feminist cartography that challenges the idea of maps as objective or neutral. They reveal how traditional maps often reflect dominant power structures and exclude certain voices. Instead, this form of feminist cartography centres lived experiences, personal stories, and embodied knowledge, especially from women and other marginalised groups. The publications embrace participatory methods, inviting those directly affected by a place to co-create how it is represented. This approach questions who is visible on a map, how space is named and drawn, and what is left out. Ultimately, feminist cartography reimagines mapping as a more inclusive, reflective, and critical practice. The subjective mapping exhibition at the Yuchengco Museum focuses on the feminist voices and perspectives in the Subjective Atlas project. This approach aligns seamlessly with the values and mission of the Yunchengco Museum and the Philippine Women’s University. For this exhibition, 36 contributions from various Subjective Atlases are meticulously selected, rooted in countries, regions and cities like Brussels, Amsterdam, Colombia, Hainaut, Hungary, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Palestine, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These subjective mappings, crafted through the lenses of diverse backgrounds, ensure a rich and varied anthology that speaks to a broad audience. This selection of perspectives fosters a deeper understanding of the complexities of mapping identity, culture, and place.
