Anne-Louise Sommer

Head of Research, Associate professor, M.A. in Comparative Literature

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Attached to
Research and Artistic Practice

Functions
The head of research is responsible for planning and accomplishment The Danish Design Schools research activities, in colaboration with The Center for Design Research. That implies composing researchstrategical documents, establishing external researchprojects together with the industry, as well as other research institutions.

As associate professor Anne-Louise carry on research, and in a limited extent teaching and Ph.d. supervisning.

Research Projects
My research relates explicit to Design Theory and Method in regard of Danmarks Designskoles research plan emphasizing the historical and methodological dimension. I consider design as part of the cultural studies tradition, the object of studies being an extended design concept. Furthermore, I consider the analytical and methodological approaches from humanities to be of utmost importance. The understanding of the historical dimension should be reflected in a historiographic discourse.

Lately my research has been focusing at the development of the modern, secular metropolitan cemetery since 1800. Addressing the issue of the cemetery as a spectacular staging of complex cultural, aesthetic and social meaning in a close interaction with the changing view of nature. I am also engaged in the theory and aesthetics of gardening and landscape in practice and philosophy in France and Britain in 18th Century intellectual history.

I have experience within research and teaching from different Universities and a Research Centre in Denmark. My professional focus is characterised by an interdisciplinary position within the humanities relating primarily to Art History, Aesthetic Studies and Cultural Studies. I have been specialising on architecture and design 1851-1939 related to the general conditions of modernity, urbanisation, industrialisation and consumer culture. I have been publishing books and articles on these issues.

Short Resume

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2008 Head of Research, Associate Professor, Danish Centre for Design Research, The Danish Design School

2004 Associate Professor, Danish Centre for Design Research, The Danish Design School

1998-2004 Associate Professor, Institute for Aesthetic Studies, Department of Art History, University of Aarhus

1995-1997 Research Fellow, Man & Nature, Humanities Research Center, University of Odense

1994 Research Fellow (SHF), University of Copenhagen

1993-1995 Lecturer in Modern Culture, Department of Comparative Literature and Studies in Modern Culture, University of Copenhagen

1989-1993 Assistant Professor, Institute of Art History, University of Aarhus

1988 Teaching Assistant, Institute of Art History and Institute of Nordic Literature, University of Copenhagen

1987 M.A. by research in Comparative Literature, University of Copenhagen

Selected Publications

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Sommer, Anne-Louise (2008) "Et skønt Virke - Keramikkens prøvelaboratorium" in Svend Hammershøi - En kunstner og hans tid, Villumsen, Anne-Mette (red.), Skovgaard Museet, Øregaard Museum og Næstved Museum

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2007) Kaare Klint, Danske Designere, Aschehoug

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2007) The Copenhagen Opera House - Cultural History - The project - The Architecture, Gyldendal

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2007) "Fraværets Iscenesættelser - storkøbenhavnske bykirkegårde 1870 - 1950" in. Den moderne by - Danske bystudier, Christensen, Søren Bitsch (red.), Center for byhistorie, Aarhus Universitetsforlag

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2006) “Sublime Svalbard” in. Møller, Lis og Mads Rosendahl Thomsen Produktive paradokser – Festskrift til Svend Erik Larsen pp. 199-216: Århus, Aarhus Universitetsforlag

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2005) Operaen på Dokøen – Kulturhistorien, projektet, arkitekturen: København, Gyldendal

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2005) "Moderni cimiteri metropolitani in Danimarca e Svezia. La rappresentazione profane della morte nella prima metà del XX secolo" in Gli spazi della memoria - Archittettura dei cimiteri monumentali Europei, M. Felicori (ed.), pp. 257-266, Roma, Luca Sossella editore.  Download (216 kb)  

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2004): "Ornamentale eskapader" in: Passepartout Skrifter for Kunsthistorie Nr. 23, Århus: Århus Universitet.

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2003): De dødes Haver - den moderne storbykirkegård, Odense: Syddansk Universitetsforlag.

Sommer, Anne-Louise, og Lis Møller (2003) "Goethes Valgslægtskaberne og den naturlige have", in: Anne-Louise Sommer og Hans Jørgen Frederiksen (red.): Kunsthistoriske kontakter - Tværfaglige dialoger, Århus: Århus Universitetsforlag.

Sommer, Anne-Louise (2002) "I dialog med historien" in: Utopi og virkelighed i det 20. århundredes kunsthåndværk og design, Most, H, m.fl. (red.), København: Kunstindustrimuseet.

Sommer, Anne-Louise, J. Bakacsy og A.V. Munch (eds.) (2000): Around Paul Engelmann: Architecture, Language, Critique, Studien zur ?csterreichischen Philosophie, Band XXXI, Amsterdam - Atlanta: Rodopi Verlag. Forfatter til kapitlet "Modern Architecture - a process of radical rethinking".

Sommer, Anne-Louise (1998) "De Elysiske marker - 1800-tallets storbykirkegårde", in: Anne-Louise Sommer og Annelise Ballegaard Petersen (red.) (1998): Dødens Rum, Odense: Odense Universitetsforlag.

Sommer, Anne-Louise (1997) "Identity - between sameness and difference" in: A. Karlsen (red.) Danish Design at the Millennium, København: Christian Ejlers Forlag.

Sommer, Anne-Louise (1995): Arkitektur & Design, København: Politikens Forlag.

Sommer, Anne-Louise (1993) "Viljen til Stil - De Stijls vej ind i 1920ernes formalisme" in: Christensen, Ch. L. m.fl. (red.), Sanseligheder, Kulturstudier 18, Århus: Århus Universitet.

Sommer, Anne-Louise (1991) "Byen som drøm - mellem abstraktionens forenkling og overbydningens mangfoldighed" in: Argon - Tidsskrift for Kunstvidenskab 7, Odense.