Boetti and a collaborator spent seven years researching the lengths of rivers, determined to arrive at a convincingly accurate hierarchy despite the impossibility of absolute measurements. This work presents their findings in a straightforward list in descending order of length, giving no clue to the inexact and contradictory information underlying it.

I have never ran in the Boston Marathon and have no intention of ever doing so. I did cross country in high school, and that was enough long-distance running for my lifetime. But, I was interested in the history and legacy of such a long running event, and after some initial research, I thought that the race had some unique and interesting geography which would make for a fun map. Places like Heartbreak Hill, where Johnny Kelley goaded Ellison “Tarzan” Brown with a playful shoulder pat, and ended up losing because of it. Or the Wellesley Scream Tunnel, where cheers of encouragement from Wellesley College students can be heard by runners more than a mile away. There are also a number of landmarks along the course that can help runners gauge how far along they are, including the iconic Citgo sign near Fenway, the sharp turn at the Newton Firehouse, or the many statues commemorating past icons of the race.

Gel pen on black paper, 32x24cm.