No work of art could fully address the magnitude of the globally shared journey taken at the peak of the pandemic . The Survival Map provides an opportunity for escapism that is mingled with commentary – all threaded together with the tonic of humour. The map tells an unfolding story of a crisis, offering therapy both during its creation and in its completed intention. The work brought power to the pandemic journey in its invitation for documentation, becoming a visual transcript of the journey we all took.

The map weaves together a reality built on tongue-in-cheek fiction. Within it, a ‘Heroes’ Hospital’ for key workers appears, with M&S sandwiches and a ‘Cummings and Going’ car park. A shop is shown as still open, selling essentials – coffee, beer and wine. ‘Shame Street’ is included with its associated panic-buying and greedy supermarkets, complete with a warning against eating endangered animals. ‘BS Lane’ leads to the ‘Misinformation Treatment Centre and Sewage Works’. ‘The Grave Reality’ building represents people who have sadly been taken by the virus – funeral directors offer a two-for-one deal. Pokes at British ex-prime minister Boris Johnson are strewn throughout the visual narrative, appearing in comedic vignettes throughout this landscape of satire.

The Survival Map uses humour as a way to bring perspective to a harshly and jointly endured experience. A mountain range represents the idea of remote working, with a data mine nearby. A closed school suggests the pandemic experience as an impactful life lesson for children.