Imperiale Botanik
Anita Hosseini
Institute of Studies in Art and Art Education, Art History
2025W, Lecture (VO), 2.0 ECTS, 2.0 semester hours, course number S05714
Description
Crop plants, but also ornamental plants, were an early commodity that was brought to Europe in the early modern period during the Crusades, on expeditions, and from colonized countries. They were collected, cultivated, admired, and used as food, in medicine, and for decoration. As carriers of a transcultural but also colonial memory and due to their symbolic significance, they still refer to an imperial history of migration in the present day. In art, they become witnesses and agents of the imperial past, but also of recent power asymmetries in the globalized present.
This lecture will use various theories from the history of science and colonial history, indigenous and forgotten knowledge, and a variety of artistic case studies to examine their political roots from a transhistorical and transcultural perspective.
Examination Modalities
Oral examination in German or English
Comments
In addition to the lecture sessions, a visit to the exhibition Kolonialismus am Fensterbrett (Colonialism on the Windowsill) at the Weltmuseum and the conference The Many Meanings of Flora: Re-Evaluating the Aesthetics and Politics of Plants” (December 11 and 12, 2025) are also part of the lecture.
The lecture will be given in German, but the conference will be held in English.
Key Words
Contemporary art, history of science, colonial history, artistic research, installations, decolonization, medicinal plants
Dates
09 October 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1 (preliminary discussion)
16 October 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
23 October 2025, 12:00–13:30, "Exhibition ‘Colonialism on the windowsill’ at the Weltmuseum"
30 October 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
06 November 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
13 November 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
27 November 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
04 December 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
11 December 2025, 13:00–20:00 Auditorium , "Tagung: The Many Meanings of Flora. Re-Evaluating the Aesthetics and Politics of Plants"
12 December 2025, 10:00–19:30 Auditorium , "Tagung: The Many Meanings of Flora. Re-Evaluating the Aesthetics and Politics of Plants"
18 December 2025, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1
08 January 2026, 12:00–13:30 FLUX 1 , "Abgabe der Thesenpapiere"
15 January 2026, 10:00–15:15 (examination)
16 January 2026, 10:00–17:15 (examination)
Course Enrolment
From 01 September 2025, 09:00 to 03 October 2025, 12:06
Via online registration
Curriculum Allocation
Art Education: subject kkp (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.80
Art Education: subject kkp (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 067/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Bachelor): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.80
Art Education: subject dex (Enhancements study): Wissenschaftliche Praxis: FOR: Lehrveranstaltungen nach Wahl aus Wissenschaftliche Praxis 074/003.80
Transformation Studies. Art x Science (Bachelor): Focus! Transformation Areas: Cultural Transformation 162/040.40
TransArts - Transdisciplinary Arts (Bachelor): Theoretical foundations: Theoretical foundations 180/003.01
Expanded Museum Studies (Master): Electives: Art History 537/080.10
Stage Design (1. Section): Kunsttheorie und Kulturwissenschaften: Kunstgeschichte 542/107.01
Stage Design (2. Section): Kunsttheorie und Kulturwissenschaften: Kunstgeschichte 542/207.01
Media Arts: Specialisation in Transmedia Arts (1. Section): Wissenschaftlich theoretische und historische Grundlagen: Kunstgeschichte 566/108.12
Media Arts: Specialisation in Transmedia Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie und Geschichte : Kunstgeschichte 566/208.12
Media Arts: Specialisation in Digital Arts (1. Section): Wissenschaftlich theoretische und historische Grundlagen: Kunstgeschichte 567/108.12
Media Arts: Specialisation in Digital Arts (2. Section): Wissenschaft, Theorie, Geschichte: Kunstgeschichte 567/208.12
Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften (Master): Electives Area 1: Art History 568/005.03
Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften (Master): Electives Area 2: Art History 568/006.03
Design: Specialisation in Design and Narrative Media (1. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Fundamentals: Art History 576/103.02
Design: Specialisation in Design and Narrative Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Fundamentals: Humanities 576/203.02
Design: Specialisation in Communication Design (1. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Art History 577/103.02
Design: Specialisation in Communication Design (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 577/203.02
Industrial Design (1. Section): Art and Cultural Studies - Basics: Art History 580/104.08
Design: Specialisation in Fashion Design (1. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Art History 584/103.02
Design: Specialisation in Fashion Design (1. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Free Elective Pool Methodological and Theoretical Basics 584/103.80
Fine Arts (1. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Art History 605/102.80
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Art Theory, Cultural Studies, Art History, Philosophy 605/202.01
Fine Arts (2. Section): Scientific and Research Practice: Free Electives out of Scientific and Research Practice 605/202.80
Design: Specialisation in Applied Photography and Time-based Media (2. Section): Methodological and Theoretical Basics: Humanities 626/203.02
Cross-Disciplinary Strategies (Bachelor): Economy and Politics: Deepening / Application 700/004.20
Co-registration: possible
Attending individual courses: possible