List of my works (pdf)
Books (Selection)
1985 Schwarze Rosen (Black Roses, Poems), edition sisyphos, Berlin.
1991 Der Tag mit der Frau mit den Blumen and other plays, edition sisyphos, Berlin.
2008 Medientheater– (Media Theater), Kulturverlag Kadmos, Berlin.
2013 Friedrichs Kittlers Flaschenpost, Kulturverlag Kadmos, Berlin.
Peer Reviewed Articles
Language evolved for Storytelling in a super-fast evolution, Article in: Evolution of Language. London: World Scientific, pp. 114-121 (Editor: Cartmill), 2014.
How Language Evolved as a Backchannel between Two Feedback Loops. Theoria et Historia Scientiarum, 2015.
Syntax of Testimony: Indexical Objects, Syntax, and Language or How to Tell a Story Without Words, frontiers in Psychology, Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 2019 (#1)
The Social Origin of the Concept of Truth – How Statements are Built on Disagreements, frontiers in Psychology, Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 2020 (#2)
How Language and Human Altruism Evolved Hand in Hand — The Backchannel Hypothesis frontiers in Psychology, Language Sciences, 2022 (#3)
The function-first approach to the origin of language: A methodological suggestion for how to think about the evolutionary foundation of symbolic communication, 2022, under review (#4)
Posters & Talks (Selection)
Language evolved for Storytelling (poster/talk), EVOLANG X, Wien, 14.-17. April 2014
Pullo-Vorenus-Hypothesis (abstract, poster, talk), Protolang 4, Rom, September 2015.
Understanding the presentation of a trophy implies the understanding of a syntactic structure, Protolang 5, Barcelona 26. – 28. September 2017.
Language and Storytelling, Mind, Brain & Body Symposium Berlin 2018, March 15-16
Indexical Signaling in the Evolution of Language: An Embodied Approach to the Emergence of Syntax, Conference: SITUATED MINDS — The European Conference for Cognitive Science, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 2019
Did Language evolve from indexical signaling?, EVOLANG XIII, Brussels, April 14-17 2020
Natural Signs and the Evolution of Language, 8th Mind, Brain & Body Symposium, March 15-16, 2020 Berlin
Language evolution without trust, EVOLANG 13, Kanazawa, Japan, 5-9 September 2022
Plays, Radio Plays & Performances
1990 Der Tag mit der Frau mit den Blumen (The Day with the Lady with the Flowers) play (Stückfärberei Basel, Switzerland), Director: Dorothea Koelbing.
1992 Die Bauchschläferin (The Tummy Sleeper) – an opera fragment in 7 trials about Camille Claudel, Kleist-Theater Frankfurt/Oder (public/state theatre), Composer: Conrado del Rosario, Director: the author.
– Die Stimme einer Frau (The Voice of a Woman) – radio play with music, SR (public broadcasting), Composer: Conrado del Rosario, Director: the author.
– Der Tag mit der Frau mit den Blumen (The Day with the Lady with the Fowers), Kleist-Theater Frankfurt/Oder (state/public theatre), Director: Peter Zimmermann.
1993 Nadas Traum (Nada’s Dream) – play with music/opera, Kleist-Theater Frankfurt/Oder (state/public theatre), Composer: Helmut Oehring, Director: the author.
1994 Der Gedichtemacher (The poems’ maker) – play/opera, Tacheles, Berlin and state theatre Cottbus, Brandenburg, Composer: Sibylle Pomorin, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg, the Berlin Senate for Cultural Affairs and the Performing Arts Fund “Fonds Darstellende Künste”, Director: the author.
– Die Stimme einer Frau (The Voice of a Woman), Performance, Art house Wiepersdorf Castle, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg, Director: the author.
1995 The Voice of a Woman (radio play in Finnish translation, Yleisradio, YLE, Helsinki, Finland).
– Ein Anderssein (an otherness) text installation, DNA-Gallery Berlin, Director: the author.
1996 Gladiatoren / Liebende (Gladiators / Lovers), play and radio play, DeutschlandRadio Berlin, Composer: Conrado del Rosario, Director: the author.
1997 Ein sehr kurzes Stück für Bankdirektoren (A very short play for bank directors) illegal performance in banks during regular business hours, Berlin, Potsdam, Hamburg, Composer: Achim Kubinski/Michaela Caspar, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg, concept and direction: the author.
– Iris und Ida – A play in 5 acts accessible installation with two actresses and a bassist in Potsdam’s pedestrian area with Michaela Caspar, Sanja Spengler and Matthias Bauer, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg, Director: the author.
– Anekdoten von mir (Anecdotes about Me) Performance in a display window in the Potsdam pedestrian zone, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg, Director: the author.
1998 Sin Ti – Feature film, script and montage concept, Director: Alejandra Carmona, Panorama program of the Berlinale.
2004 Sklave des Logos (Slave of the logos)/ Kill me America (performance in front of the American Embassy in Berlin, 04/07/2004).
2005 Wet Interviews, live stream from the toilet of a Kurdish restaurant in Vienna, 23/05/05, live Radio Orange Vienna, 2h, one-hour version was broadcasted in 12 European cities. Director: the author.
– Formatlabor meets Radio Alice (01/07/05, Bayerischer Rundfunk 2, Zündfunk – Radio Alice UKW 88,4).
2006 Untitled [23], theory performance with Michaela Caspar and Séan DC Marquardt, Tesla Berlin, Gemäldegalerie Berlin and other places.
2006 Yes. (Sound installation from February to May), Gemäldegalerie Berlin Cultural Forum.
2008 Dead Man Performance – Performance in public space // Open exhibition project.
2009 Frühling Erwache! by Frank Wedekind (adaptation and dramaturgy), Director: Michaela Caspar, Ballhaus Ost. Nominated for the Theatertreffen der Jugend (Young People’s Theater Festival) Berlin and the BKM Prize for Cultural Education (2010).
2009 Re:play Haydn – Concept Performance, Collegium Hungaricum Berlin, with the Kammersymphonie Berlin, concept and direction: the author.
2011 Medea. (play for hearing and deaf), director: Michaela Caspar, Ballhaus Ost.
2014 Deaf Time Tunnel (play, based on documents and improvisations by the deaf), director: Michaela Caspar, Set Design: Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag.
More publications (selection)
1992 Die Stimme einer Frau (A woman’s voice) – in: Litfass, number 54, June.
1994 Der flüchtige Blick (The glance), Literarisches Colloquium Berlin, Gorki-Theater.
1994 Der Gedichtemacher (The poems maker) – in: Konzepte, magazine for young literature.
2001 Der Tag, an dem ich die Welt verstand (The day that I understood the world) – in: Gegner Januar 2001.
2001 Ein sehr kurzes Stück für Bankdirektoren (A very short play for bank directors) Theaterperipherien, Editor: Hartmut Fischer, Konkursbuch Nr. 35
2004 Critique of a World Constitution, Concepts in Law, Hg: Carmo D’Souza, Goa.
2005 Das Überhörte (the Overheard) abstract, Editor: Ruedi Baur.
2005 Was ist Emanzipation? (What is Emancipation?) – Letter to my friend Gusztáv Hamos, abstract, editor: Ruedi Baur
2005 Wie ist eine operative Epistemologie möglich? (How is an operative epistemology possible?), menschenformen plateau, magazine for experimental cultural anthropology.
2006 Formate und die Kultur des 21. Jahrhunderts (Formats and the Culture of the 21st Century), who is who in Berlin-Brandenburg media 8.0, Editor: Ulrike Reinhard.
2009 Wozu Medientheorie? (Media Theory – what for?) in: Menschen formen – Menschenformen: Zum technologischen Umbau der conditio humana, Hrg: Ternes, Jung, Faßler, Linke, Berlin 2009.
2010 Von der Fülle des Mangels am Mangel (From the Fullness of the Lack of Deficiency) in: 5th Bernd Ternes, Sociological marginalia tectum, sine causa, Berlin (zusammen mit Bernd Ternes), in: Bernd Ternes, Soziologische Marginalien 5. Tectum, sine causa, Berlin.
Films
2006 Zap! – Theory film, Zurich University of the Arts Theory.
2008 Shit Happens Feature film, 79 min. (Mini-DV), Preview: University of Fine Arts Braunschweig, in the film series, hosted and curated by Michael Brynntrup. 28/04/08.
2008 Sometimes. – Experimental film, 23 min.
2015 Deaf in Ghana – Pilot for ein TV-Projekt with deaf and hearing, 76 min.
Exhibitions / Performances
1995 Ohne Unsinn keine Zärtlichkeit (No Tenderness Without Nonsense) with Michaela Caspar and Volker Sieben, screening, exhibition / text installation / performance, Die Neue Aktionsgalerie Berlin.
1996 Forget Tables and Dreams with Michaela Caspar, exhibition / installation text / literature performance, Waschhaus Potsdam.
1997 Laden für Identitäten (Shop for Identities), installation in the center of Potsdam, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg.
– Neue Länder – Neue Identitäten (New Countries – New Identities), installation in the Potsdam pedestrian zone, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg.
2002 The Story of my Death (Preview) video performance (Narratives VJ-ing / Interactive Cinema), In & Around media (Berlinale).
2003 Live rehearsal – live radio performance (06/17/03 June Radio 104.1 FM).
– Gisela Jacobius speaks with Till Nikolaus von Heiseler (interview with a Jewish eyewitness), 14/06/03, Radio 104.1 FM June. Twice about 52 min.
2004 A very short play for bank directors (video installation), Viper, Basel.
– Till Nikolaus von Heiseler Surprise Show (11 Sendungen à 2 h), reboot fm, 104.1 UKW, Berlin.
– The Number you have dialled is not assigned (radio art), Long Night of Radio Art, ars electronica, Linz.
– Five Loops (Videos, various lengths), internet version.
2005 The Number you have dialled is not assigned, Soundlab Channel, curated by Melody Parker-Carter (Cologne).
– In-KLO-sion/Exklusion 01/02/05 (sound installation on public and semi-public toilets), Kunstraum Kreuzberg in the art house Bethanien, Volksbühne Berlin.
– A very short play for bank directors (video installation), Rencontres internationales Paris Berlin, Centre Pompidou (Paris).
– Weit weg gibt es nicht mehr (group exhibition), Lausanne. Curation: Ruedi Baur.
2006 A very short play for bank directors (video installation), Pulsar Caracas 2006, Caracas, Venezuela.
– In-KLO-sion/Exklusion 03 – sound installation, (100 Days Ja, with Michaela Caspar, Gemäldegalerie Berlin Kulturforum).
– Untitled 23, theory performance with Michaela Caspar, Séan D.C. Marquardt, Gemäldegalerie Berlin Kulturforum.
2007 Presentation of the project Fade to Black, screening, Tesla, 22/06/07
– Strictly Berlin / Targets of Opportunity –21/03/07– 13/04/07 (group exhibition)
– 49 Meisterwerke (49 Master pieces– 12/08/07- 12/09/07, RFA Galerie, “Real Fine Art Galerie” (group exhibition).
– Lara X. Schiffer – I’ll be your Model, a Service for You, Galerie der Künste Berlin., 05/09/07- 22/09/07 (solo exhibition).
2008 Moving Forest – media performance, transmediale 08, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, 29/01/08- 03/02/08
Lectures, discussions, theory salons
2003 Panel Discussion zum Projekt Auschwitz – Conservation Camp 01 von Sarah Schönfeld and Sascha Schmalenberg (24/04/03, ifa-Galerie, Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen, Institute for foreign Relations Berlin), host.
– Der herrschaftsfreie Diskurs (The non-hierarchical Discourse) – public presentation of concepts for 2004) 05/07/03, Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin, as part of the conference Chaosmatische Anthropologie. Chaosmatic Anthropology. From historic to experimental Anthropology.
2005 Moderation of the Discussion Forum as part of the exhibition „I house you“ (Galerie der Künste, Berlin 20/02/05)
2005 formatLabor 1.0, Tesla im Podewils’schen Palais, Berlin
2006 Wozu Medientheorie?” (Media Theory – what for?), as part of the menschenformen Colloquium „Anachronism Human?” (04/01/06)
2006 Januar 27, „Medien | Sinn | Formate“ (Media, Meaning, Formats), lecture, Theoriefilm „Zap!“, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (Academy of Arts Zurich), Zürich.
2006 Juli 1 „Heterotopia“ – intermediale Präsentation. Hochschule für Gestaltung Zürich, together with Andreas Boshard and Ulrike Felsing.
2006 Juli 19, „Prelude for a Format Research“ video. Lecture and discussion with Wolfgang Ernst, Pit Schultz and Stefan Heidenreich, Medientheater, HU Berlin.
2006 formatLabor 2. Staffel, Tesla, Berlin
Rosehill formatLabor 2.1 – talk and feature film von und mit Mari Cantu und Till Nikolaus von Heiseler, Tesla im Podewils’schen Palais, Berlin 2006.
If TV shoots me, then I’ll shoot TV! formatLabor 2.2 – mit Michael Brynntrup and Till Nikolaus von Heiseler – Tesla im Podewils’schen Palais, Berlin April 2006.
Was heißt hier Formate? (Formats – what are they?) formatLabor 2.3 – mit Pit Schultz, Stefan Heidenreich und Till Nikolaus von Heiseler, Tesla im Podewils’schen Palais, Berlin Mai.
2007 formatLabor 3. Staffel, die Narration im elektronischen Zeitalter (The Narration in the electronic age), Tesla, Berlin mit Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag und Till Nikolaus von Heiseler
Hurz! Das Märchen von der Kunst – Die Narration im elektronischen Zeitalter (The Fairytale of the Art – Narration in the Electronic age), Formatlabor 3.1, 31/05/07, Tesla Salon mit Stefan Heidenreich, Till Nikolaus von Heiseler und Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag.
Live! Das Fade to Black Project – Die Narration im elektronischen Zeitalter (The Narration in the electronic age), Formatlabor 3.2, (22/06/07), Tesla Salon mit Andres Fuentes Cannobbio, Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag, Catherine Claudel, Till Nikolaus von Heiseler et al.
The Creator has a Masterplan – Die Narration im elektronischen Zeitalter (Narration in electronic age) Formatlabor 3.3, 25/10/07, Tesla Salon mit Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag und Till Nikolaus von Heiseler.
2008 Presentation of the Fade-to-Black-Projects, lecture about Collectivity and Subjectivity, Hochschule für Bildende Kunst (Art school) Braunschweig, (Cinematic Class) von Michael Brynntrup, 28/29/04/08.
2009 Janos Neumann Salon – Salon von Till Nikolaus von Heiseler gemeinsam mit der transmediale und dem Collegium Hungaricum Berlin.
#1: Die Camouflage der Kybernetik. Wolfgang Hagen, Wolfgang Ernst, Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag, 7/10/09.
#2: Das künstliche Leuchten im Kontext der Kunst. (The artificial glow in the Context of Art) Mathias Wagner K., Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag, 04/11/09.
#3: End of History = Private History?, Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag, 02/12/09.
Teaching Performances
1988-2006 Acting classes at various institutions, for example, film acting school Berlin, Coaching for movie actors.
WiSe 2002/2003 Wie ist eine Wissenschaft vom menschlichen Glück möglich? (How is a Science of Human Happiness possible?) Colloquium with Dr. habil. Bernd Ternes and the Collektive of the NEUEN METHODIKER – Free University Berlin, Institute of Sociology.
SoSe 2003 Wie ist eine Wissenschaft vom menschlichen Glück möglich? II (How is a Science of Human Happiness possible?) research colloquium together with Dr. habil. Bernd Ternes und dem Kollektiv der NEUEN METHODIKER – Free University Berlin, Institute of Sociology.
SoSe 2004 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media I: Media / Archives / Collaboration, Free University Berlin.
WiSe 2004/2005 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media II: Collective text-production.
SoSe 2005 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media III: Evolution & Praxis, FU Berlin / in cooperation with the Humboldt University Berlin.
WiSe 2005/2006 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media IV: Medientheatralik und operative Epistemologie (Media theatre and operative epistemology), FU Berlin / in cooperation with der HU Berlin.
SoSe 2006 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media V: Was ein Medium sei (What people say a media is), FU Berlin / in Cooperation with the HU Berlin and the UdK Berlin.
WiSe 2006/2007 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media VI Kommunikation. Macht. Medien (Communication. Power. Media), with Jens Friedrich, FU Berlin.
SoSe 2007 I-Net-Colloquium Kommunikation. Medien. Macht (Communication. Power. Media). Toward an Integral Theory of Media VII.
WiSe 2007/2008 I-Net-Colloquium Toward an Integral Theory of Media VIII: Wozu Medientheorie? (Media theory – what for?).
SoSe 2008 Ästhetik des Wissens (Aesthetics of Knowledge), Event in Media Theater of Humboldt University, Berlin with Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag and Wolfgang Ernst.
WiSe 2008/2009 Kommunikation als Transformation von Information (Communication as Transformation of Information), graduate seminar with Dr. habil. Bernd Ternes – Free University of Berlin, Institute for Sociology.
WiSe 2009/2010 Narration im elektronischen Zeitalter, UdK Berlin. (The Narration in the electronic Age, Berlin University of the Arts).
SoSe 2022 Novel Approaches to Language Evolution and the Problem of Collaboration (Research Tutorial with Aleksandr Schamberger), Humboldt University zu Berlin.
WiSi 2022/2023 Novel Approaches to the Evolution of Language and Cooperation – A Collective Paper Writing Class (Research Tutorial with Anne Aerts), Humboldt University zu Berlin.
AWARDS
Grants (selection):
1992 Scholarship for Schillertage (Mannheim National Theatre)
1993 Alfred-Döblin-Grant (Akademie der Künste / Academy of Arts Berlin)
1994 Author scholarship in Castle Wiepersdorf (Berlin Senate)
1995 Theaterautorenwerkstatt des (playwriter scholarship of the) Literarischen Colloquiums Berlin
1996 Amsterdam-Stipendium (Stichting Culturele)
Project Grants (selection):
* Berlin Senate for Cultural Affairs
* Ministry of Science, Research and Culture Brandenburg
* Fonds Darstellende Künste e.V. / Performing Arts Fund e.V
* Kulturprojekte Berlin
* Aktion Mensch
* Hauptstadtkulturfonds Berlin
* Medienanstalt Berlin Brandenburg (mbb)
* Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung Berlin / Project Fund for Cultural Education Berlin
Till Nikolaus von Heiseler 