Tender Digitality

Tender Digitality introduces an aesthetically oriented concept that intricately intertwines binary systems in a complex manner, setting them in motion. The concept, which is developed at the Zurich University of the Arts, responds to the human desire for sensuality, interpersonal connection, intuition, and well-being in digital environments. It explores ways to (re)transmit these experiences into the analog world of a book, developing its own distinct vocabularies.

Readers are guided through the various perspectives of this kaleidoscope, encouraging them to delve into different play-forms of “tender digitality” and develop their own approach. Assuming the role of researchers, they discover phenomena of extraordinary beauty or bizarreness within the spectrum spanning analogue and digital, social, and technological domains. Through exploration, learning, and the cultivation of “tender digitality,” readers can envision their own version of a community where individuals and artificial intelligences, avatars and cyborgs, humans and computers navigate digital landscapes with agency, intuition, and sensitivity.

With contributions by Charlotte Axelsson, Oliver Bendel, Dana Blume, Marisa Burn, Alexander Damianisch, Léa Ermuth, Hannah Eßler, Barbara Getto, Leoni Hof, Marcial Koch, Mela Kocher, Friederike Lampert, Gunter Lösel, Francis Müller, Marie-France Rafael, Oliver Ruf, Sascha Schneider, and Grit Wolany.

“The experimental chapters, pivoted on the methodologies of play, experiential learning, interrogative inquiry and visual prompts, excerpt suggestions and propositions for practicing tender digitality.”
Almas Sadique, stir world

Awarded with German Design Award (Gold).