Maps as Art

It is interesting to evaluate the use of aerial imagery and maps as a form of art, especially in contemporary (or recent historical) times, as developments in technology have made human depictions obsolete if the aim is to create an accurate map. That is, a hand-drawn, painted, or otherwise "handmade" map can serve little purpose other than artistic or political, as any map meant for scientific, navigational, or military purposes would invariably be a digital representation. Because of these developments, it seems natural that many artists whose works make use of maps or aerial views turn to abstraction. Thus these maps further separate themselves from accurate digital or satellite maps, as they may present a less than realistic image, but serve to convey perhaps human emotion or ideology, political opinion, or some other subjective subject matter that could not necessarily be conveyed by a satellite image.   One example of this is Jasper Johns' depictions of a map of the United States, in which his brush strokes (which may seem random at first glance) blur state lines or even obscure state names. These aspects of his paintings are by no means accidental, and can be interpreted in any number of ways, certainly leaving his works up to more interpretation than any Google maps image.