Overview: This talk and workshop explore drawing as an epistemic practice. Between minimal acts of line-making and delineation, and more extended forms such as diagrams, structures, observational drawings, metaphors, or figures of thought, drawing carries a multiplicity of potentials that underlie and inspire research. Beyond being an artistic medium, drawing can be understood as a mode of thinking—a way to test, articulate, experiment with, and deepen how research subjects and methods are conceived. It operates across a spectrum between the abstract and the figurative. Drawing can thus become a productive means of rethinking what lines can—or could—do: a structural reconsideration of the kinds of lines we employ to draw (on) particular subjects, as well as of the performative effects these lines produce—from separation and clarification to the visualization of quantitative or qualitative relations.

In her talk, Lilian Kroth presents past and ongoing research projects that engage drawing in this expanded sense. This includes her doctoral research on Michel Serres and her more recent work on remote sensing and satellite vision. The talk opens a collective discussion on drawing as a field of inquiry and a research method. This will be followed by a workshop, offering participants the opportunity to explore the specific potentials of drawing—individually and collaboratively—in relation to their own research questions. No prior experience or skills are required; all materials will be provided, and everyone is warmly welcome to join us. Please come to any part of the workshop you can attend.