Through film, video, and collage, Uncharted Histories: Pirates investigates the changing political status of pirates by considering the roles they played in the power struggle between monarchs of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Generally defined by their attacks and thievery indiscriminate of nationality, many pirates contributed greatly to the development, growth and success of struggling nations. As countries battled to gain power, a number of pirates facilitated the expansion and colonialization of new lands through the exploration and mapping of uncharted territories. Also positioning the pirate as explorer, the work imagines encounters faced on the shores of undiscovered islands. Pirates noted in the historical record are placed within dark and curious scenarios as they fight off surprise attacks from the unfamiliar surroundings.