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 Departement 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

Institut Bild- und Kulturphilosophie, Deutschland, Bühl (Baden-Baden)

Department of Food and Drug Sciences, Universtität Parma, Italien

Forschungsprojekt in Parma/Italien

SS 2025

Neurowissenschaften und Bild- und Kulturwissenschaften:

Affektive Wahrnehmung und Design II

Projektteam:

Dr. phil. Martina Sauer (Bildwissenschaflterin)

Dr. med. Giuseppe Di Cesare (Neurowissenschaftler)

Charlotte Engelke (BA Kandidatin Design)

Projektbeschreibung:

Gibt es einen Unterschied in der Wahrnehmung von Illustrationen und Design-Objekten zwischen Laien und Designstudierenden?

Es sind der Neurowissenschaftler Giuseppe Di Cesare der Forschungsgruppe in Parma über Spiegelneuronen und lebendige Formen (vitality forms) und die Bildwissenschaftlerin Martina Sauer vom Institut für Bild- und Kulturphilosophie in Deutschland und ihre vormalige Studentin, die BA-Kandidatin in Design, Charlotte Engelke, der Fresenius Hochschule, AMD, Hamburg, die in ihrem gemeinsamen Forschungsprojekt in Parma (und Hamburg) auf neurowissenschaftlicher Basis danach fragen, ob es einen Unterschied in der Bewertung von Illustrationen und Design-Objekten zwischen Laien und Design Studierenden gibt.

Literatur:

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.

Fresenius Hochschule, University of Applied Sciences

AMD Akademie Mode & Design Hamburg

und Institute of Technology (IIT):  CONTACT lab, Genua/Parma, Italien

und Institut für Bild und Kulturphilosophie, Bühl (Baden-Baden)

Forschungsprojekct in Hamburg/Deutschland

SS 2022

Affective Perception and Design

Projektteam:

• Prof. Dr. Petra Leutner (Vize Prodekanin Design, AMD Hamburg)
• Dr. Martina Sauer (Institut für Bild- und Kulturphilosophie, Deutschland)
• Dr. Giuseppe Di Cesare and Giada Lombardi (Institute of Technology Genoa/Parma)
• Studierenden (Seminar Grundlagen der Wahrnehmung und Gestaltung, AMD (Hamburg)

Programm:

13. Juni, 16 Uhr öffentlicher Gastvortrag  (hybrid) über "Affective Perception and Design" von Dr. Giuseppe Di Cesare und Giada Lombardi, AMD / FB Design der Hochschule Fresenius, Alte Rabenstrasse 1, 20148 Hamburg, Room 1.01 (1st floor)

14. Juni, Vorträge und Workshop mit Studierenden und dem Lehrkörper: Giuseppe Di Cesare über "Affective Perception" and Martina Sauer über den "Zusammenhang von Vitals affects, vital forms und Sinnbildung: Forschungshintergründe in der Kulturwissenschaft: Hamburger-Kreis 1919-1933"

Präsentation der Forschungsergebnisse:

Deutschen Gesellschaft für Semiotik über Zeichen.Kulturen.Digitalität an der RPTU Rheinland-Pfälzischen Technischen Universität in Landau,  Deutschland

2024, 24. -28. September

DGS Panel Bild & Mode (Martina Sauer undPetra Leutner) im Rahmen der internationalen und interdisziplinären Konferenz der , über: Metaverse - KI and New Aesthetics? hybrid, D/EN. Programm

CfP (Deadline 30.November 2023) des Panels Bild und Mode von Martina Sauer (Bild) und Petra Leutner (Mode) über Metaverse - KI 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 (Bild- und Kulturphilosophie/Deutschland)

and Giuseppe Di Cesare (Neurowissenschaften/Italien)

Literatur:

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. Abstrakt – Affektiv – Multimodal. Zur Verarbeitung von Bewegtbildern im Anschluss an Cassirer, Langer und Krois. In Bildkörper. Zum Verhältnis von Bildtechnologien und Embodiment, hrsg. Lars Christian Grabbe, Patrick Rupert-Kruse & Norbert M. Schmitz. Büchner: Darmstadt 2016, 46—71

Sauer, Martina. Entwicklungspsychologie / Neurowissenschaft und Kunstgeschichte - Ein Beitrag zur Diskussion von Form als Grundlage von Wahrnehmungs- und Gestaltungsprinzipien. In ejournal.net, Juni 2011, 1—10

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

und Institut für Bild- und Kulturphilosophe, Bühl (Baden-Baden)

Forschungsprojekt 2012, Mai bis September

Forschungsprojekt am Institute for Cultural Studies, Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade in Kooperation mit der Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, Basel,

Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst, Institut Kunst, Lehrbeauftragte Dr. Martina Sauer sowie dem Institute of Neurosciences, Parma, Italien, Prof. Dr. Vittorio Gallese und PhD Studentin 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«

Projektteam:

• Antragsteller: Prof. Martin Wiedmer (FHNW HGK, IDK)
• Co-Antragstellerin: Prof. Dr. Sigrid Schade ZHdK, Zurich
• Projektvertreterinnen: Dr. Martina Sauer (FHNW HGK) und Katrin Heimann (PhD Studentin, Neuroscience Institute, Parma)
• Assistentinnen: Jana Kessler (MA graduate, Fashion Institute) and Yolanda Bürgi & Elin Gonzalez (students, Institute of Art) & Silvia Bergmann (filmmaker/technology)

Kooperationpartner/Praxis:

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

Kooperationapartner/Theorie:

• 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

Kooperationpartner/Nachwuchswissenschaftler*innen:

• Katrin Heimann, PhD Studentin von Vittorio Gallese, Institute for Neuroscience, Parma, Italien
• Dr. Vlad Ionnesco, University of Leuven, Belgien, Philosophy/Art Studies
• Daniel Hug, PhD Student, AD Interaction Design, Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK, Schweiz