Those who draw observe, see things differently, and perceive more. Those who write expand the horizons of understanding. And comics bring the two together. And I cannot praise highly enough the possibilities offered by the space in between, or how many of its paths remain unexplored. The most important people in this new program, however, will be the future students, who will bring their curiosity, their perspectives, their ideas, and their multiplicity of voices. I very much look forward to supporting them in turning this into a profession. (Barbara Yelin)

With an exceptionally sensitive photographic style, she gives the volunteer helpers a stage that is often denied them in everyday life. The clear, emotional image compositions not only make their achievements visible, but also convey the human depth and strain behind every assignment. The result is a project that goes far beyond documentation: it honors a commitment that works behind the scenes but is invaluable to society.

President Dr Barbara M. Eggert emphasizes how his artistic and theoretical perspective will enrich the university’s profile: “As an artist, he has made significant contributions to discourse in the artistic-scientific field — not least as co-author of the Critical Engineering Manifesto (2011, with G. Savicic and J. Oliver). With his research interest in the interface of human-computer interaction and his hacker-oriented approach, he adds important dimensions to the Merz Akademie’s academic and artistic profile and will bring new impulses for activism through the means of art.”

“Open source offers the necessary freedom for experimentation, research, and modification of existing systems. It will give students the opportunity to deconstruct and rethink technological systems. Together with the faculty and students of Merz Akademie, I aim to cultivate a critical mindset, an ethical understanding, and a forward-looking perspective on the rapidly evolving media landscape of the future,” Danja Vasiliev states.

Persönliche Filme, wie die beim LETsDOK Ba-Wü Kurzfilmabend im Wartesaal – Kultur in Besigheim am 29.9.25 sind politische Statements der anderen Art. Sie betreiben keine Lagerpolitik, manipulieren nicht. Sie stellen sich auf die Seite der Menschlichkeit, auf die Seite des menschlichen Bedürfnisses, ein Leben in Frieden, Freiheit und Gleichberechtigung zu führen. Sie lassen in die eigenen Lebensräume schauen. Lassen dem Zuschauer die Freiheit, sich im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes zu verorten und Empathie mit dem Menschen an sich zu entwickeln. Sie inspirieren zu neuen Sichtweisen und dazu, sich weiter zu informieren. In dieser Hinsicht sind die Filme von Ulana Drashchenko, Ekaterina Gradoboeva, Beyza Dizi und Benjamin Hindrichs sehr persönliche und auch politisch Statements.

I could not have wished for a better partner than the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung to realize my vision of creating a professorship that combines comics creation and comics research, and I am delighted that my funding application has been accepted by the foundation. Both as Rector of the Merz Akademie and as a comics scholar, it is important to me to make a contribution to promoting the medium of comics by creating the professorship and I am looking forward to starting the development of the Master's program. What I wrote two years ago in Politik & Kultur, the newspaper of the German Cultural Council, is now taking shape: “This not only complements the media spectrum of the house, but also enriches the range of courses offered by the up-and-coming science location of Stuttgart, whose affinity for comics is already guaranteed by the proximity of various comic-affine institutions from publishing houses to the Comic Days, with a unique selling point.