Christian Dieter Sauer

Christian Dieter Sauer is a Lecturer for Subject Studies / Art Education at the Department of Fine Arts and Design, Mozarteum University Salzburg. He also serves as a lecturer at the University of Salzburg's Department of Art, Music, and Dance Studies since 2018 and has held research positions at the Catholic University of Eichstätt from 2023-2025. His academic career spans over 15 years with appointments at multiple Austrian and German universities.

• PhD in Art History from University of Regensburg (2010, summa cum laude)
• Magister Artium in Art History and Philosophy from University of Regensburg (2003)
• Leonardo Scholarship for studies at École du Louvre, Paris (2000)

Sauer's research focuses on the intersection of sensory experience and art, particularly exploring smell, taste, and food as artistic materials and subjects. His work bridges historical art movements like Surrealism with contemporary practices, examining how artists engage with ephemeral phenomena and posthuman concepts. He has developed a systematic approach to understanding sensory art, with particular emphasis on olfactory and gustatory dimensions that have been traditionally overlooked in art historical discourse.

His recent publications reveal a clear trajectory toward sensory studies in art, with increasing focus on food as artistic material (2023-2025). Earlier work centered on Surrealism, particularly Salvador Dalí's theater and film projects, and the theoretical underpinnings of surrealist image creation. His scholarship demonstrates a consistent interest in how artists challenge conventional sensory boundaries and explore the relationship between materiality and meaning.

• 1st place in RCM Research Competition for 'BioFacts. Living artworks and their posthuman agency' (2024)
• Druckkostenzuschuss from Geschwister Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation (2015)
• Finalist for Excellence in Teaching Award at Paris-Lodron University Salzburg (2012)
• Multiple DAAD Scholarships (2004-2005)
• Leonardo Scholarship for École du Louvre (2001)

Sauer actively mentors graduate students, currently supervising two doctoral dissertations on Austrian art history topics while advising numerous bachelor's and master's theses at Mozarteum University. His teaching portfolio spans from introductory art history courses to specialized seminars on sensory art, Surrealism, and contemporary artistic practices. He has organized international conferences including 'Dialogical Imaginations' (2016) and 'Naturally Hypernatural' (2014), demonstrating his commitment to fostering interdisciplinary academic dialogue. His current habilitation project focuses on 'Smell and Taste as Subject and Material of Artistic Investigation,' representing the culmination of his research trajectory into sensory dimensions of art.