I am cognitive scientist interested in embodied cognition, neuromotor pedagogy, and movement practices. Currently, I am part of a research project on intercorporeal synergies at the University of Vienna. My PhD project at the University of Osnabrück focuses on the role of body awareness for movement learning across somatic practices such as taichi, Feldenkrais, gaga dance, and ideokinesis.
I practice Tàijíquán since 2007, and finished my instructor’s training in 2021 at Tai Chi Schule Osnabrück certified by my teacher Hella Ebel.
From 1998 to 2004 I studied Fine Arts at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, which was a formative experience. One of my later art pieces there, “Partitur eines Bewegungstheaters”, was a rhythmically organized, dada-esque assembly of sketches, each of which moved me in an odd or strange way.
Partitur eines Bewegungstheaters, 2003. Mixed media on paper. 500 x 250.
“What makes me move”, my very own examination of free will and artistic decisions, resulted in paintings like the one below (Dschörmänie, 2002), were every single stroke was based on a long (hours), meditative decision process and investigation into “why the heck does this stroke come to my mind?” and “could I do it another way”? Admittedly, the resulting painting is not that impressive – all interesting fuzz was happening during the decision making process.
Dschörmänie, 2002. Oil on canvas. 110 x 200.