PHIL |  Frames is the newly, 2026, launched book series and platform for transdisciplinary research on the arts, culture, and philosophy. It is part of the arthistoricum.net – ART-Books/Series, which is supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and administered by the Heidelberg University Library. Based on the Open-Access publishing model, the series and platform are open to scholars worldwide and contributes to the non-commercial dissemination of research results and free access to scientific 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 at the Department of Languages, Literature and Culture at Østfold University of Applied Sciences in Norway) and has been successfully approved by the Heidelberg University Library Committee.

The editorial team is supported by an editorial advisory board comprising 15 experts from various disciplines across 10 countries. The platform and book series aims to provide opportunities for a multifaceted exchange that is 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 relations to) the world, the book series is a forum for research on the conditions and frames of feelings, knowledge and reason that form, 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, including proposals for interview collections, conference proceedings or the publication of doctoral and postdoctoral theses. The editors of the series aim to launch the platform and book series with an initial call for papers addressing a core research focus of PHIL | Frames: “Toward the Power of Forming,” which will be posted shortly.

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 (Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, University of Vienna, TU Wien)
• 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

Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy and

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

Research Project in Parma/Italy

Summer Term 2025

Neurosciences and Humanities:

Affective Perception and Design II

Project Team:

Dr. Phil. Martina Sauer (Image and Cultural Philosophie)

Dr. Med. Giuseppe Di Cesare (Neurosciences)

Charlotte Engelke (B.A. Candidate Design)

Project Description:

Is there a difference in the understanding of design between naive and skilled people?

They are the neuroscientist Giuseppe Di Cesare from the research group form Parma in Italy on mirror neurons and vitality forms and philosopher and image scientist Martina Sauer form the Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy from Germany and her research on vitality semiotics (VS) and her former student, the B.A. candidate in design, Charlotte Engelke, form the Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, AMD, Hamburg, who in their joint research project in Parma are specifically investigating on a neuroscientific basis if there is a difference in understanding of illustration and design objects between laypeople and design students.

Literature:

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, hrsg. v. 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.

Institute for Image and Cultural Philosophy,

Fresenius Hochschule, University of Applied Sciences

AMD Akademie Mode & Design Hamburg

and Institute of Technology Genua/Parma, Italy

Research Project in Hamburg/Germany

Summer Term 2022

Affective Perception and Design

Realised together with AMD Hamburg / FB Design at Hochschule Fresenius: Prof. Dr. Petra Leutner and the Institute of Technology (IIT) Genoa/Parma, Italy CONTACT lab, Dr. Giuseppe Di Cesare and Giada Lombardi: https://whisperproject.eu/team-lab-robot and students from AMD Hamburg

June 13, 4 p.m. public guest lecture (hybrid) on "Affective Perception and Design" by Dr. Giuseppe di Cesare and PhD student Giada Lombardi ITT Genua/Parma, Italy, AMD / FB Design at Hochschule Fresenius, Alte Rabenstrasse 1, 20148 Hamburg, Room 1.01 (1st floor)

June, 14, lecures and workshop with students and the faculty: Giuseppe Di Cesare on "Affective Perception" and Martina Sauer on "The connection between vitals affects, vital forms and meaning formation: research backgrounds in cultural studies: Hamburg Circle 1919-1933"

German Society for Semiotics. International and interdisziplinary conference  Signs.Cultures.Digitality. TU Landau,  Germany

2024, September 24. -28.

DGS Panel Image & Fashion (Martina Sauer and Petra Leutner): Metaverse - KI and New Aesthetics? hybrid, D/En,. Program

CfP of the panel image and fashion (hybrid, Ger/En) by Martina Sauer (image) und Petra Leutner (fashion) on Metaverse - KI and New Aesthetics?

Keynote speech

Martina Sauer (image and cultural philosophy, Germany)

Giuseppe Di Cesare (neurosciences, Italy) 

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

Literature:

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, hrsg. v. 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

Züricher Hochschule der Künste, Institute for Cultural Studies in the Arts, Switzerland

2012, May to September

Research project at the Institute for Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Basel, Dr. Martina Sauer, FHNW HGK and the Institute of Neurosciences, Parma, Italy, Prof. Dr. Vittorio Gallese with PhD student Katrin Heimann:

Abstract.Amodal.Affective: Exploring Unconscious Aesthetic Processes in the Creation of Art/Design - A Contribution to the Question of Knowledge and Competence in the Visual Arts

Project team:

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

Cooperation partner/practice:

• Prof. Kurt Zihlmann, FHNW, HGK Basel Institute Fashion Design
• Prof. Andreas Wenger, FHNW, HGK Basel, Institute for Scenography and Interior Design, 
• Prof. René Pulfer, FHNW, HGK Basel, Institute of Art
• Prof. Vittorio Gallese M.D, University of Parma, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze - Section di Fisiologia, Universita' di Parma

Cooperation partner/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/young scientists:

• Katrin Heimann, PhD student with Vittorio Gallese, Institute of 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