Lecture series 2011: The Language of Pictures

What is a picture and how do pictures make sense? – The language of pictures is at the heart of the summer semester 2011 lecture series.

In his lectures, Gottfried Boehm will join with distinguished personalities to debate the significance and impact of imagery, with the function and the diversity of images as an artistic, scientific, religious, and communicative medium. Discourse on imagery began to appear late in European academic history, which is surprising considering the culture of art's age and prominence. And even more surprising considering the image reproduction methods, which made photographic and moving images available to the masses for practical use. Thanks to digital technology, images had become something they have never been before in history - an everyday medium for global communication. In light of these developments, Gottfried Boehm paved the way for the emergence of a new iconography. He will join with his guest and audience in discussing and analyzing the "iconic turn" concept he helped to establish, the revolution of the image since the end of the 20th century, the image research process developed and the insights gained over the years.

The goal of the endowed professorship's 12th lecture series is to highlight the basic principles of modern discourse surrounding the image, the current state of image research, and the significance for science, art, and society. And last but not least, the goal is also to awaken 'passion for the image,' to convey the 'fascination of the visual' that is also the driving force behind Gottfried Boehm's own work. During each lecture, the reflection on the 'language of images' is combined with many visual elements and examples taken from the broad range of image production. They range from prehistoric hand axes through to the modern masterpieces which challenge the conventional appearance of the image. They include imaging techniques and scientific images, as well as analyzing scientific images. The lectures highlight the enormous impact of images, their ominous power, and ability to seduce, as well as their creation, function, and significance. According to Gottfried Boehm, pictures work in a different way than sentences, but are nevertheless full of meaning and messages. Their speech is not speech in the conventional sense, but a showing. Pictures show what they want to say. At the same time, they also show that meaning also operates beyond the realms of vocal language. Gottfried Boehm believes that perception, the way an image is viewed, takes on a constitutive meaning. Gottfried Boehm and internationally renowned researchers discuss aspects of iconography, art history, linguistics, as well as biology and paleontology.

Die Vorlesungsreihe "Die Sprache der Bilder" findet dienstags von 18.15 Uhr bis ca. 20.00 Uhr statt:

Dienstag, 3. Mai 2011
Eine andere Sprache. Das Bild und die Grundlagen der menschlichen Kommunikation
Prof. Dr. Gottfried Boehm
Kunsthistorisches Seminar, Universität Basel • NFS Bildkritik "eikones", Basel

Dienstag, 10. Mai 2011
Die Lust am Bild, oder: Was Bilder stark macht
Prof. Dr. Gottfried Boehm
Kunsthistorisches Seminar, Universität Basel • NFS Bildkritik "eikones", Basel

Dienstag, 17. Mai 2011
Lascaux. Neue Forschungen zur Höhlenkunst
Gastredner: Prof. Dr.ès sc. Jean-Marie Le Tensorer
Institut für prähistorische und naturwissenschaftliche Archäologie, Universität Basel

Dienstag, 31. Mai 2011
Ikon und Logos. Zur ursprünglichen Visualität des menschlichen Sprachvermögens
Gastredner: Prof. Dr. Ludwig Jäger
Institut für Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Aachen

Dienstag, 7. Juni 2011
Bilder des Himmels und Bilder am Himmel – Mythologie. Theologie. Astronomie
Gastredner: Prof. Dr. Hans Belting
Kunstwissenschaft und Medientheorie, Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung, Karlsruhe

Dienstag, 14. Juni 2011
Lebendigkeit. Das Bild als Ereignis
Prof. Dr. Gottfried Boehm
Kunsthistorisches Seminar, Universität Basel • NFS Bildkritik "eikones", Basel

Dienstag, 21. Juni 2011
Bilder jenseits der Bilder. Die Lehre der Moderne
Prof. Dr. Gottfried Boehm
Kunsthistorisches Seminar, Universität Basel • NFS Bildkritik "eikones", Basel

Dienstag, 28. Juni 2011
Galileo Galilei und die Bilder
Gastredner: Prof. Dr. Horst Bredekamp
Institut für Kunst- und Bildgeschichte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Dienstag, 5. Juli 2011
Erinnerungsbilder
Gastredner: Prof. Dr. med. Joachim Küchenhoff
Ärztl. Leiter Kantonale Psychiatrische Dienste, Chefarzt Kantonale Psychiatrische Klinik, Liestal

Dienstag, 12. Juli 2011
Das Bild, das wir sind. Blick – Gesicht – Bildnis
Prof. Dr. Gottfried Boehm
Kunsthistorisches Seminar, Universität Basel • NFS Bildkritik "eikones", Basel

Hörsaal RW 1, Neubau Recht und Wirtschaft, Jakob-Welderweg 9, auf dem Campus der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz