Home / Art

Artist Spends 520 Hours Reimagining World Map as a Giant 20-Foot-Wide Tapestry

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Porto-based textile artist Vanessa Barragão is known for her nature-inspired textile art that celebrates the beauty of the world’s ecosystems. Her latest piece, titled Botanical Tapestry, is her largest to date, and represents not just part of the Earth’s landscape, but the entire map of the world.

The 20-foot-wide tapestry was developed to commemorate the partnership between London’s Heathrow Airport and Kew Gardens. Installed in the airport’s Terminal 2 departure area, globe-trotting guests can admire how Barragão has visualized our oceans and lands in colorful yarn. The impressive, handmade piece took 520 hours to weave and comprises 8kg (18 lbs.) of jute and cotton and a colossal 42kg (93 lbs.) of recycled wool. “This was the biggest artwork I ever created,” Barragão tells My Modern Met. “I hope all could understand the message present in this piece, the world belongs to everyone and we have to preserve it.”

Barragão used many traditional techniques to achieve the variation in texture, including latch hook, crochet, and felt needle. The artist reveals, “There are visible all the colors present in our continents and oceans and some threatened species like the coral reefs and some plants around the world.” While the deserts of Australia and Africa are depicted in warm-hued, low-pile weaves, the lush rainforests of South America are rendered in shaggy fringes in varying shades of green. The surrounding textile oceans feature three-dimensional crochet structures, representing coral reefs.

Scroll down to check out images of Barragão’s stunning Botanical Tapestry and find more of her work on her website.

Textile artist Vanessa Barragão's latest piece, Botanical Tapestry, represents the map of the world.

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

The 20-foot-wide tapestry was developed to commemorate the partnership between London’s Heathrow Airport and Kew Gardens.

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

The impressive, handmade piece took 520 hours to weave.

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

Barragão used many traditional techniques to achieve the variation in texture that represents our diverse lands and oceans.

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

Botanical Tapestry by Vanessa Barragão

Vanessa Barragão: Website | Instagram | Behance | Pinterest | Etsy

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Vanessa Barragão.

Related Articles:

Artist Uses Recycled Textile Waste to Handcraft Ocean-Inspired Rugs and Tapestries

Nature-Inspired Textiles Capture the Beauty of Our World’s Coral Reef Ecosystem

Textile Artist Creates Hand-Tufted Wool Rugs Inspired by Argentinian Landscapes

How to Crochet: Learn the Basics of This Time Honored Handicraft

Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
Become a
My Modern Met Member
As a member, you'll join us in our effort to support the arts.

Sponsored Content