Whether sketched on a napkin or generatedfrom complex data, maps are a fascinatingexpression of contemporary visualculture. Their styles may range from simpleto intricate, focused to comprehensive, and restrained to vivid, but all maps unlockthe world and make it more accessible.
Inour age of omnipresent satellite navigationsystems, personal interpretations of oursurroundings are gaining in importance. Today, the craftsmanship of cartographersand the distinct visuals of map illustratorsare increasingly valued by both professionaldesigners and a growing communityof those passionate about maps. Mind the Map features a stunning selectionof outstanding contemporary mapsthat help us find our way around. The bookshows how editors, agencies, travel operators, and relocation services are using themto communicate what makes a region special, to put a specific location into context, to create moods, or to tell stories. Somemaps help us to orient ourselves in a foreigncountry or an unfamiliar city, while othersmake pathways clear and logical that mightotherwise seem confusing. In our age of visual storytelling, cartographyhas become more prevalent and innovative. Maps can be illustrated by hand formagazine stories or display in the home orcustomized for screens of mobile devicesthat can guide us on urban safaris or isolatedhikes. Mind the Map is a showcase thatreflects the broad range of work now beingcreated by a new generation of mapmakersfrom around the world including classicallylegible maps, artistic experiments, editorialillustrations, city views, vacation guides, and global overviews. Mind the Map provides new perspectiveson the world in map form. The book offerssurprising and inspiring bird's eye viewsinto places that we thought we knew andunexpected access into unfamiliar terrain. Its texts guide the reader yet allow enoughroom for personal discovery. Together thevisual examples and written informationmake for a book full of fascinating journeysthat readers will want to take againand again.
