Dr. Margit Kern

Biography

Margit Kern is a Professor of Art History at the University of Hamburg, where she has been since October 2012. She specializes in art from the early modern period and late Middle Ages, examining processes of transcultural negotiation in visual cultures. Kern's academic journey began with studies in Art History, Theatre Studies, and Philosophy across institutions in Erlangen, Vienna, and Berlin, culminating in a PhD from the Free University of Berlin. Her research interests include early modern art and the history of photography in Ibero-America and Spain, as well as the concept of 'Difficult Heritage.' Besides her teaching and research responsibilities, she has held various fellowships, including one at Yale University, and is involved in editorial and advisory boards of several academic journals and associations. Kern has also initiated significant projects, like the ERC Advanced Grant project ‘Visual Scepticism: Aesthetic Doubt,’ which addresses how visual media grapple with historical legacy, particularly concerning colonial and fascist monuments. Throughout her career, she has organized panels and led research groups focusing on intermediality and art's role in urban contexts.

Research Interests

Experience