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Catalogue Fall 2020

In 2020, the world was confronted with a pandemic on an unprecedented scale. In addition to the loss of life and the direct consequences of the disease for survivors, relatives and loved ones, and besides the economic effects that have barely been mapped out, Covid-19 also brought long-standing disparities into sharper focus. Inequality in an economic, racial and social sense appears to translate into a greater or lesser chance of dying or becoming ill. Where you live, where you work, or whether or not you are dependent on public transport: these suddenly seem to be factors that influence your chances of infection and survival. From the perspective of design and art, these are also core themes in the nai010 collection: social design, new forms of urbanity, housing, infrastructure and mobility.

The power of design and art to contribute to solutions, raise awareness and share ideas is now more relevant than ever. And even though most of the publications in this Autumn 2020 catalogue originated in the time before the coronavirus outbreak, the current crisis has given the themes raised a different, stronger urgency. For example, the series of perspectives on globalization in relation to architecture and the city in The Global Turn is a stimulating starting point for further reflection on a phenomenon that is mentioned both in the causes of and solutions to the corona crisis. And the historical exploration of experimental housing in the new issue of DASH could contribute to the development of new housing concepts in which care for vulnerable groups can be organized more robustly.

But perhaps the most significant new title in this perspective is Body Language, an exploration of the meaning of the body in medieval Western art. The vulnerability of the body and its powerlessness in the face of the sometimes incomprehensible and overwhelming forces that steer and control, but can also destroy it, was a daily reality for medieval man. The surprising, sometimes bizarre and often moving images in Body Language depict an interaction with the body in which lust and suffering, veneration and conjuration, sickness and transience coexist. Perhaps now more than ever we can understand and appreciate the exhortation and consolation that comes from these images.

Discover all our new titles on art, architecture and design via our digital catalogue