Mariia Panina Mariia Panina Virgil Widrich Virgil Widrich In this work, the artist proposes taking a closer look at the problematic concept of autonomy through the prism of history. The thesis investigates city walls as a symbolic monument to absolute sovereignty, while exploring city-state as an example of autonomous entity and antithesis to the contemporary trend towards globalization. Italian city-states of the middle ages and Renaissance are used as a case study through which to examine economic, political and cultural points of view, with an emphasis on the evolution of aesthetics and philosophy. Furthermore, it traces the influential role of the artist as it has been changed and expanded by the urban community and its values. The artist presents the city-state as a metaphor for autonomy, as presented through her artwork and research. Container 2022-12-14T20:25:19.082Z 2018 Sommersemester summer term 2018