The Works of Ed Fairburn: A Review
In 2022, artist Ed Fairburn launched a TikTok account to showcase and talk about his artwork. Fairburn is an English artist based in Wales who has worked for years on illustrations drawn on maps. He describes his work as ‘topopointilism’, a direct combination of ‘topography and pointillism.’ Fairburn uses the outlines and shapes of areas on maps to create realistic faces, shading by crosshatching with a fine liner and black acrylic paint. His work is extremely detailed and intricate. He explains his process is ‘high jacking the map’, explaining that he follows the details of the maps, making gradual adjustments to ‘tease out’ (Fairburn, 2022) a secondary image
In many of his illustrations, he also follows contour lines in maps (Fairburn, 2014). Creating shading by putting more weight on different parts of the lines than others with a paintbrush, allowing him to be creative with how he creates tone and dimension. His ability to create such lifelike faces by filling in small boxes that mark the locations of houses, and the areas between roads and rivers is remarkable (Fairburn, 2021). He says he doesn’t start out with an image by pareidolia, but rather works at drawing out an image from a map. Fairburn uses the maps as another tool, rather than merely a canvas and allows things like rivers, roads, streets, and buildings to also be a part of the final image (Fairburn, 2013). He states that this is due to his desire to ‘preserve the functionality of each map’ (Fairburn, 2022). The map is not a background to be ignored, but a significant character in each image, which wouldn’t seem nearly as unique without it. His intricate way of shading his images perfectly weaves into the patterns made by roads and divided areas, ensuring the map never feels like an unnecessary overlay onto the image, but a part that was always meant to be there.
In many of the locations Fairburn’s maps depict, there is a consistently urban feel to his work. Something about the faces being placed onto the images of existing locations and spaces gives the viewer a similar feeling to that of viewing skilfully painted street art. A natural, individual human mark on an often rigidly designed environment, although Fairburn believes that the way roads connect, especially in the UK feel ‘quite organic’. (Fairburn, 2014) In his artwork of mountainous areas where he uses contour lines to create shading, the feeling is much less urban, and much more like a fairy tale, touching on an ethereal feeling (Fairburn, 2020). As Ed Fairburn’s illustrations most often depict women, these images can bring to mind stories of mysterious figures seen in the wilderness, with the faces that appear holding characteristics of the land itself, or lady of the lake legends present in many cultures with the curved, rippling contour lines being used to build the shape. Contour maps, Fairburn states, are his favourite to work with as there is ‘almost a marbling effect’. (Fairburn, 2014) He explains that he most often draws the female form as ‘it is beautiful as it is’ (Fairburn, 2014). Fairburn most often works with creative partner, Bobbie Jo, as his model.
The gradual changes he makes to the small spaces on maps are what make his work seem so lifelike, and it can often feel as though the map is looking at you. The figures which appear in his pictures almost seem like guards watching over the areas depicted. Fairburn states that he studies the terrain for hours before beginning his drawings so there is a ‘comfortable coexistence of figure and landscape’. (Fairburn, 2022) Ed Fairburn takes an interest in how a ‘completed map performs more like a portrait when viewed from further away.’ (Fairburn, 2022) In an interview for Rocky Mountains PBS, Fairburn remarks, ‘the idea of harmonising a portrait with a map suggests we are a product of the landscape.’ (Fairburn, 2014)
In 2013, Fairburn had started to make a series of map portraits by cutting out parts of the drawings he had done on one map and overlaying them onto an untouched map. Many of these were part of a series called the Western Front Cutout Series. (Fairburn, 2013) This series was produced on reproduced military maps from the Western Front of France during WWII with colourful climate charts from America placed underneath. I really enjoy the effect created with this. The maps are not directly placed on top of each other, but rather the maps are staggered, which allows the top layer to create a shadow on the lower map, making it seem more 3D. The cut-out areas in the overlayed map act as windows to the often colourful layer below. The lines, shapes and colours of the 2nd maps become intriguing. Running into the open from behind the upper map, before hiding again. Leaving us to wonder where they might be going. The colours of the lower map work well to create dimension in a different way to the crosshatched blocks. The light blue shades can create a softer shading look, where bright green or red areas stand out and make for an even more unique and vibrant look. And amongst all this, the fact that the origins of these maps were drawn during WWII. The expressions used in these pieces look as though they want to speak. And the expression in their eyes draws the viewer to look closer.
Ed Fairburn’s work truly has a unique identity which is difficult to replicate. His methods, despite his calculated studies of the maps he works with, seem deeply intuitive. The specificity with which he approaches his work appears like something only he knows how to achieve. Listening to him describe his process makes it sound intriguingly simple although when put into perspective, the impressive nature of these images reminds us how much thought and hard work goes into making these brilliant drawings. These works are immediately recognisable as his wherever they’re displayed and the way he makes the maps and his subject appear as the same being is entirely his own.
Bibliography
Fairburn, E., 2013. Shrewsbury. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/project/shrewsbury/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2013. Western Front Cutout Series. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/project/western-front-cutout-series/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2014. Arts District [Interview] (10 10 2014).
Fairburn, E., 2014. Arts District “Ed Fairburn” [Interview] (10 10 2014).
Fairburn, E., 2014. Arts District “Ed Fairburn” [Interview] (10 10 2014).
Fairburn, E., 2014. Arts District “Ed Fairburn” [Interview] (10 10 2014).
Fairburn, E., 2014. Lünersse. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/project/lunersee/
[Accessed 18 10 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2020. Denholm. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/project/denholme/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2021. Boston. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/project/boston/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2022. About. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/about/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2022. About. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/about/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2022. About. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/about/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].
Fairburn, E., 2022. About. [Online]
Available at: https://edfairburn.com/about/
[Accessed 18 08 2022].