Ecologies of Premodern Art.
Workshop Series of the Research Group at the Ulmer Verein, 5th season.

October 30, 2025, 17-18.30 CET
Public workshop
Waste and Reuse – Ecologies of Premodern Art
In cooperation with Ruth Ezra and Francesca Borgo with papers by Katharina Bedenbender (HU Berlin), Kathrin Borgers (TU Dortmund), María Lumbreras (UC Santa Barbara), Christopher Heuer (University of Rochester) / Zuzanna Sarnecka (University of Bern), Anita Markmiller (University of Heidelberg)

Program

5.00
Welcome, Luan Tran & Maurice Saß
Introduction, Ruth Ezra & Francesca Borgo

5.10
Rapid fire papers

Katharina Bedenbender (HU Berlin)
Necropolitics in 17th Century Venice

Kathrin Borgers (TU Dortmund)
From Rags to Paper to Papier. Mâché: Material Transformation as a Process of Purification

María Lumbreras (UC Santa Barbara)
The Seise’s Archive: Morisco Approaches to Making and Unmaking Waste

Christopher Heuer (University of Rochester) / Zuzanna Sarnecka (University of Bern)
Bureaucratic Garbage in Early Modern Krakow

Anita Markmiller (University of Heidelberg)
The Birth of Venus from Waste in Art (History): networks and perspectives on discarded plastic materials taken from the oceans

6.00
Panel discussion with all speakers
chaired by Ruth Ezra and Francesca Borgo

6.30
End of workshop

January 16, 2026, 17-18.30 CET
Public workshop
Ann-Sophie Lehmann (University of Groningen)
n.n. [Just Art. Creating Common Grounds for Climate Justice Through Artistic Research]

March 12, 2026, 16.30–18.00 CET
Public workshop
Natsumi Nonaka (Italian Academy, Columbia University)
Arboreal Renaissance: The Ecology of the Early Modern City

If you are interested in attending the workshops or participating in the working group in the Ulmer Verein, please send an email to Maurice Saß (maurice.sassalanus.edu) and Hui Luan Tran (hl.tranuni-mainz.de). People in an early career stage are explicitly encouraged to participate.