Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Diğer Ülkelerden Üniversiteler Tarafından Desteklenmiş Proje, 2023 - 2024
In particular during the first millennium CE the regions or Orient and Occident were in continuous
contact, exchanging people, motifs and ideas. There are manifold allusions to and appropriations of
the other, leading to an intense cultural contact and exchange besides all hostile events. The early
Islamic designs and decorative techniques of the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, e.g., is heavily
influenced by Byzantine art. ‘Oriental’ motifs and elements can be found in the European decorative
arts of the early and high medieval periods, in particular in gold-working, textile- or glass-working.
The intense trading contacts led to an exchange of goods, inciting changes in tastes, fashion and craftproduction.
To that respect, Orient and Occident can not be separated, when trying to understand
and contextualize the creative and aesthetic processes in the mid-first millennium CE.
This project application aims to reflect this contact and exchange and bridge the artificial gap between
disciplines such as Art-history, Byzantine Studies and Islamic Archaeology and the gap between
students of different countries such as Turkey and Germany through scientific dialogue in a truly
humanistic idea. The project aims to channel discussions and exchange in virtual as well as life
dialogue besides a close interaction of students and docents. It is based on and embedded in already
existing ties in Byzantine studies, partially established through the Leibniz ScienceCampus
„Byzantium between Orient and Occident“. Moreover, the project will support the development of
the newly established chair for Islamic Archaeology and Art-History at Frankfurt. The establishment
of international relations to the applied project shall aid and tighten the academic network between
the participating partners for the mutual benefit of education and research in the long run.
Following the funding scheme, the project is timed for an initial two years with an option for a two
year extension. The exchange-project embraces virtual and hybrid seminars and meeting as well as in
person elements during excursion to different destinations.
It shall be coordinated by one half position and is designed for the participation of up to 15 students
from three different countries, including a varying number of docents from respective partner
institutions.
The project will begin with a basic first seminar that will discuss cross-disciplinary topics to provide a
common ground for student from different disciplines such as Art-History, Byzantine Studies,
Ancient History and Islamic Archaeology. Questions arise such as the (religious) prerequisites of
aesthetic traditions, in particular in early Islamic, early Medieval European, late Antique and Byzantine
art. Are their positions apt to develop a broader discussion? Where are similarities between the artistic
traditions in Occidental and Oriental material culture and what could be reasons for that? Are there
normative concepts involved and if so, which?
A second seminar shall put the different approaches to work by discussing the major theme of
„Women and Art“. What kind of illustrations of women are there in Byzantine, early Islamic and early
Christian art? What are their roles and functions? What is the appreciation of female beauty? But also
considering women as patrons and “user” of art. These topics will be discussed during a first joint
excursion to Germany, during which a general scheme for a virtual or hybrid exhibition shall be
sketched. A joint excursion to Turkey will allow for broadening the topic and making the realisation
the virtual or hybrid exhibition more concrete. This exhibition, developed during the mutual work of
the students, will become the opportunity to put the theoretical framework discussed in the seminar
to work and a welcomed incentive. The hybrid exhibition can be realised with finds at the different
partner institutions according to their facilities. In any case, it shall be made into an opportunity to
demonstrate the results of two years intense dialogue between students and docents across
disciplinary and state borders, clearly visible to the public.
A possible second phase of the program can be devoted to the topic „Nature“ with corresponding
seminars and excursions, relevant to that overall theme. A second virtual exhibition can be envisaged
depending on the success of the first one.
Major aims of the project
Capacity building on academic resources
Developing of interdisciplinary curricula/teaching modules/classes, that reflect the latest
developments in science
Supporting student exchange by building of academic (and personal) networks between
cooperating institutions and further non-university actors such as museums or cultural
foundations
Promoting early-career researchers and academic by providing further qualifications and
intercultural skills.