Die kalifornische Institution

I have published on specific aspects of my PhD thesis before, but – finally – the whole thing is out as a book. The title refers to an anecdote by… more

“PSA Regarding Monuments, Others”

Since the end of documenta 14, Kassel has been plagued – or, as some would have it, ‘divided’ by quarrels regarding Olu Oguibe’s “Fremdlinge und Flüchtlinge Monument” (strangers and refugees… more

“Ein Sturm kommt auf”

I’ve known the folks from the Topology of Technology research group in Darmstadt since a conference on Environmental History. For their latest publication, they invited me to submit an article… more

“Die Sacramento Street hinab”

A large portion of my PhD dissertation on the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fires is devoted to the strange case of Dr. Arnold Genthe, a German philologist turned West… more

“Spectres of 1989”

I spent much of my ‘professional’ life working within the ‘global art’ scene. Just as I was turning more and more towards disaster studies and history in general, I was… more

German Business Plants

I have been acquainted with Frederik Busch’s Business Plants since our exhibition of the photos in 2012. Now, his portraits of the life (and, all too often, near-death) of our… more