PHIL |  Frames  is a book series and platform for transdisciplinary research on the arts, culture, and philosophy, newly launched in 2026. It is part of the  arthistoricum.net – ART-Books/Series, supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and adminstrated by Heidelberg University Library. Based on the open-access publishing model, the series and platform are open to scholars worldwide and contribute to the non-commercial dissemination of research findings and free access to scholarly information within and beyond the academic community.

PHIL | Frames  is initiated and lead by Martina Sauer (Director of the Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy in Germany) and Natalia Igl (Associate Professor in the Department of Languages, Literature and Culture at Østfold University College in Norway), and has been successfully approved by the committee of Heidelberg University Library.

The editorial team is supported by an editorial advisory board of 15 experts from various disciplines and 10 countries. The platform and book series aim to provide opportunities for multifaceted exchange, adapted to the new networked, international, trans- and interdisciplinary research landscape. Anchored in philosophy as a historical and contemporary practice of understanding ourselves and (our relationship to) the world, the book series is a forum for resarch on the conditions and frames of feelings, knowledge, and reason that frorm, stabilize, and change society - shedding light on how they emerge, take effect and affect us through creative expression in art, design, literature, language, dance, music, technology, etc.

In this sense, the editors and experts involved see themselves as the founders of an interdisciplinary network and thus as active contributors to publication projects such as interview volumes, conference proceedings, or the publication of doctoral and postdoctoral research. The editors of the series intend to launch the platform and book series with a initial call for papers adressing a core research focus of PHIL | Frames to be announced shortly: “Toward the Power of Forming”.

The editorial advisory board includes:

• Susan Barahal, PhD, Teaching Professor in the Department of Education and School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, Boston, USA
• Lona Gaikis, Mag. art., Dr. phil., Independent Researcher. Multiple Affiliations at Academy of Fine Arts, and  University of Technics, Vienna, Austria.
• Marina Grishakova, Chair Professor of Literary Theory and Intermedial Studies at the University of Tartu, Estonia
• Till J. Huss, Dr. phil., Professor of Design and Cultural Theory at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences, Potsdam/Berlin, Germany
• Ayhan Kaya, PhD, Professor of Politics and Jean Monnet Chair of European Politics of Interculturalism at Istanbul Bilgi University, Turkey
• Karin Kukkonen, PhD, Professor of Comparative Literature and founding director of LCE – Centre for Literature, Cognition and Emotions at University of Oslo, Norway
• Jeannette Oholi, Dr. phil., Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer in Literature and Cultural Studies at TU Dortmund, Germany
• Anna Ovaska, PhD, Associate Professor (docent) in Finnish Literature at University of Helsinki, Finland
• Lora Sariaslan, Dr., Assistant Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art at Utrecht University, The Netherlands
• Oliver Scheiding, Dr. phil., Professor and Chair of American Studies, Obama Institute at University of Mainz, Germany
• Jörg Sternagel, PD. Dr. phil., Researcher and Lecturer (Akademischer Rat) in Media Cultural Studies at University of Passau, Germany
• Rémi Armand Tchokothe, Dr. phil., Associate Professor in Comparative Literature with a Focus on African Literatures, University of Vienna, Austria
• Vera Tobin, PhD, Associate Professor of Cognitive Science at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
• Christiane Wagner, PhD, Research Professor in Design and Architecture at the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil
• Zhuofei Wang, PD Dr. phil., Researcher and Lecturer (Privatdozentin) in Art History and Aesthetics at University of Kassel, Germany, and External Professor at Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, China

Initial call for papers/submissions on "The Power of Forming" (upload PDF) by the editors Martina Sauer @ Natalia Igl.

Please submit your proposed title and abstract of no more than 400 words by 1 Mars 2027,
along with your short academic CV and contact information

Institute of Image and Cultural Philosophy, Germany, Bühl (Baden-Baden)

Department of Food and Drug Sciences, University of Parma, Italy

Research project in Parma/Italy

Summer Semester 2025

Project team:

Dr. phil. Martina Sauer (image scholar)

Dr. med. Giuseppe Di Cesare (Neuroscientist)

Charlotte Engelke (BA Design Candidate)

Project Description:

Is there a difference in how laypeople and design students perceive illustrations and design objects?

The project brings together neuroscientist Giuseppe Di Cesare of the research group in Parma, whose work focuses on mirror neurons and vitality forms, and image scholar Martina Sauer of the Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy in Germany, along with her former student, BA design candidate Charlotte Engelke of Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, AMD, Hamburg. In their joint research project in Parma (and Hamburg), they use a neuroscience-based approach to ask whether there is a difference in how laypeople and design students evaluate illustrations and design objects.

Bibliography:

Di Cesare, Giuseppe et al. The neuronal basis of vitality forms. In National Science Review 7 (2020), 202—13

Lombardi, Giada and Giuseppe Di Cesare. From Neuroscience to Art:

The Role of “Vitality Forms” in the Investigation of Multimodality. In: Art Style 10, special issue on Multimodality, edited by Martina Sauer and Christiane Wagner, 09/2022, 11—23

Lombardi, Giada, Martina Sauer and Giuseppe di Cesare. An Affective Perception: How “Vitality Forms” Influence Our Mood? In: Art Style 11, special issue on Atmosphere and Mood, edited by Martina Sauer & Zhufez Wang, 03/2023: 127—39

Sauer, Martina. Abstract — Affective — Multimodal. On the processing of moving images following Cassirer, Langer and Krois. In: Bildkörper. On the relationship between image technologies and embodiment, ed. by Lars Christian Grabbe, Patrick Rupert-Kruse, Norbert M. Schmitz. Büchner: Darmstadt 2016, 46—71

Sauer, Martina. Developmental Psychology / Neuroscience and Art History - A Contribution to the Discussion of Form as the Basis of Perception and Design Principles. In: ejournal.net, June 2011, 1—10.

Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, AMD Academy of Fashion & Design Hamburg

and Institute of Technology (IIT):  CONTACT lab, Genoa/Parma, Italy

and Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy, Bühl (Baden-Baden)

Research project in Hamburg/Germany

Spring semester 2022

Project team:

• Prof. Dr. Petra Leutner (Vice Dean of Design, AMD Hamburg)
• Dr. Martina Sauer (Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy, Germany)
• Dr. Giuseppe Di Cesare and Giada Lombardi (Institute of Technology Genoa/Parma)
• Students (Seminar on Fundamentals of Perception and Design, AMD (Hamburg)

Program:

June 13, 4 pm public guest lecture  (hybrid) on "Affective Perception and Design" by Dr. Giuseppe Di Cesare and Giada Lombardi, AMD / FB Design der Hochschule Fresenius, Alte Rabenstrasse 1, 20148 Hamburg, Room 1.01 (1st floor)

June 14, talks and workshop with students and faculty: Giuseppe Di Cesare on "Affective Perception" and Martina Sauer on "The Relationship between Vital Affects, Vital Forms and Meaning-Making: Research Background in Cultural Studies: The Hamburg Circle 1919-1933"

Presentation of the research findings:

German Society for Semiotics conference on Signs.Cultures.Digitality at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau University of Technology in Landau, Germany

2024, September 24–28

German Society for Semiotics panel Image & Fashion (Martina Sauer and Petra Leutner) as part of the international and interdisciplinary conference of the , on: Metaverse - AI and New Aesthetics? hybrid, D/EN. Program

CfP (deadline November 30, 2023) for the panel Image and Fashion by Martina Sauer (Image) and Petra Leutner (Fashion) on Metaverse - AI and New Aesthetics?, hybrid, D/En

Keynote speech on: Vitality forms in action, speech, and design: a powerful communication tool for social interactions" 

by Martina Sauer (Image and Cultural Philosophy/Germany)

and Giuseppe Di Cesare (Neuroscience/Italy)

Bibliography:

Di Cesare, Giuseppe et al. The neuronal basis of vitality forms. In National Science Review 7 (2020), 202—13

Lombardi, Giada and Giuseppe Di Cesare. From Neuroscience to Art:

The Role of “Vitality Forms” in the Investigation of Multimodality. In Multimodality, The Sensually Organized Potential of Artistic Worksed, edited by Martina Sauer & Christiane Wagner, 11—23 [Art Style 10, 09/2022]

Lombardi, Giada, Martina Sauer and Giuseppe di Cesare. An Affective Perception: How “Vitality Forms” Influence Our Mood? In Atmosphere and Mood, Two Sides of the Same Phenomenon, edited by Martina Sauer & Zhufez Wang, 127—39 [Art Style 11, 03/2023] 

Sauer, Martina. Abstract – Affective – Multimodal. On the Processing of Moving Images following Cassirer, Langer and Krois. In Bildkörper. On the Relationship between Image Technologies and Embodiment, eds. Lars Christian Grabbe, Patrick Rupert-Kruse & Norbert M. Schmitz. Büchner: Darmstadt 2016, 46—71

Sauer, Martina. Developmental Psychology / Neuroscience and Art History - A Contribution to the Discussion of Form as the Basis of Perception and Design Principles. In ejournal.net, June 2011, 1—10

Zurich University of the Arts, Institute for Cultural Studies in the Arts

and Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy, Bühl (Baden-Baden)

Research project 2012, May to September

Research project at the Institute for Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Basel,

University of Art and Design, Institute of Art, Lecturer Dr. Martina Sauer, and the Institute of Neuroscience, Parma, Italy, Prof. Dr. Vittorio Gallese and PhD student Katrin Heimann:

Project team:

• Project manager: Dr. Martina Sauer
• Applicant: Prof. Martin Wiedmer (FHNW HGK, IDK)
• Co-applicant: Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade ZHdK, Zurich
• Project proposal: Dr. Martina Sauer (FHNW HGK) and Katrin Heimann (PhD student, Neuroscience Institute, Parma)
• Assistants: Jana Kessler (MA graduate, Fashion Institute) and Yolanda Bürgi & Elin Gonzalez (students, Institute of Art) & Silvia Bergmann (filmmaker/technology)

Cooperation partners/practice:

• Prof. Kurt ZihlmannFHNW HGK Basel Institute Fashion Design, Switzerland
• Prof. Andreas Wenger, FHNW HGK Basel Institute for Scenography and Interior Design, Switzerland
• Prof. René Pulfer, FHNW HGK Basel, Institute of Art, Switzerland
• Prof. Vittorio Gallese M.D, University of Parma, Department of Neuroscience - Section of Physiology, University of Parma, Italy

Cooperation partners/theory:

• Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade, ZHdK Zurich, Head of the Institute for Cultural Studies in the Arts
• Prof. Dr. Lambert Wiesing, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Chair of Image Theory and Phenomenology
• Prof. Dr. Raphael Rosenberg, University of Vienna, Institute for Art History

Cooperation partners/early-career researchers:

• Katrin Heimann, PhD student of Vittorio Gallese, Institute for Neuroscience, Parma, Italy
• Dr. Vlad Ionnesco, University of Leuven, Belgium, Philosophy/Art Studies
• Daniel Hug, PhD Student, AD Interaction Design, Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK, Switzerland