Electronic Media
and Culture
History, Theory and
Practice of Electronic Media
Monday, 1:00 - 6:00
PM
Randall
Packer, Instructor
office hours: 2 - 3 PM, Wednesday, room tba
Website: http://www.zakros.com/
On-line course information:
http://www.zakros.com/mica/
Zero
Gravity – Digital Arts Resource On-Line
Multimedia: From Wagner to Virtual
Reality – History of Art and Technology
Course Description
Electronic Media
and Culture is a broad overview of the tools, aesthetics, and cultural
paradigms brought about through the integration of electronic media. The
history and work of electronic artists will be surveyed who have pioneered
new interactive and interdisciplinary forms, as well as engineers and
mathematicians who have developed information technologies and influential
scientific and philosophical ideologies. The digital arts will be analyzed
for emerging trends in artistic strategies and socio-cultural aspirations.
Students will be introduced to an array of essential multimedia tools
and techniques used in the production and authoring of graphics, text,
animation, video and sound. The goal of the course is to develop critical
and practical skills vital to the creation and interpretation of digital
and electronic art forms.
Week 1 (August
29)
Presentation
Lab
Image processing
and manipulation – Introduction to Photoshop, digital photography
and scanning
Week 2 (September
12)
Presentation
Topic 1: Integration
– Synthesis of the arts and technology
Presentation of the work of Billy Klüver, Bell Labs engineer and
founder of E.A.T. (Experiments in Art and Technology) and his collaborations
with Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Jean Tinguely, John Cage, and
others.
Discussion
- Reading:
"The Great Northeastern Power Failure"; Billy Klüver,
1966
Lab
Print media
– Overview of Quark, integration of image and text for print output
(Presentation of projects from week 1)
Week 3 (September
19)
Presentation
Topic 1: Integration
– Synthesis of the arts and technology
Presentation of the work of Nam June Paik, Fluxus artist and founding
father of video and information art. Notes
on Paik.
Discussion
- Reading:
"Cybernated Art, Satellite Art"; Nam June Paik, 1966, 1984
Lab
Print media
– complete and present projects
Week 4 (September
26)
Presentation
Topic 2: Interactivity
– Birth of a New Medium
Presentation of the work of Douglas Engelbart, engineer who invented
the mouse and other technologies that led to interactive and collaborative
computing.
Discussion
Lab
Sound media
– Introduction to Sound Edit 16, creating narrative through sound.
Week 5 (October
2)
Critique
Presentation of sound
works begun in the previous week.
Presentation
Discussion of integrated
media: media composition that incorporates image, text and sound.
Lab
Presentation
Media: Introduction to Macromedia Flash: importing graphics and
sound, layout, creating text; symbols; timeline, keyframes, and tweeening;
dissolving images and text.
Assignment
Digital
Film: Nostalgia Noir
Week 6 (October
16)
Presentation and
Discussion
Review of Flash
basics and short critique of projects-in-progress. Compositional techniques
for combining media.
Lab
Continue work on
Nostalgia Noir project in Flash.
Week 7 (October
23)
Critique
Presentation of
Nostalgia Noir project
Presentation
and Discussion
Discussion of networking,
hypertext, HTML, and web-based interactivity
Reading
"Literary
Machines " Ted
Nelson, 1988 (due next week)
See my Telematic
Manifesto at ZKM's Net_Condition
Lab
Networked media
– Begin new hypertext project, a Telematic
Manifesto, in Dreamweaver
Week 8 (October
30)
Presentation
Continue presentation
of networked media, hypertext and HTML. "My
Boyfriend Came Back From the War," by Olia Liolina, non-linear
hypertext narrative.
Telemusic
#1, a new on-line networked performance work by Randall Packer and
Steve Bradley that explores the dissolution of virtual and physical
space. The work incorporates telematic roles, our relationship to the
Net, relevant to our discussion of the Telematic Manifesto.
Discussion
Ted Nelson's "Literary
Machines"
Lab
Continue work on
Telematic Manifesto
Week 9 (November
6)
Presentation
Critique of Telematic
Manifesto.
Next assignment:
Web project – Political Satire
– create a home page for the next President of the United
States.
Lab
Working with graphics
on the web: downloading from the browser, files formats including JPEG
and GIF, resolution issues.
Week 10 (November
13)
Discussion
Based on recent
unprecedented developments in the 2000 Presidential election, we will
collectively rethink the Political Satire project and develop it further.
Lab
Work on Political
Satire project
Assigment
Critique the work
of an electronic media artist. Choose an artist from the Zero
Gravity list, or an artist of your own choice whose work is documented
on-line. Make your selection by the end of class today. Presentations
will begin in two weeks and should be approximately 10 - 15 minutes
each.
Week 11 (November
20)
Discussion
Finalize electronic
media artist presentations. Discuss final
project.
Presentation
Political Satire
projects.
Lab
Advanced techniques:
incorporating animation and sound into Dreamweaver. See the home page
of telemusic as an example.
Sketch out final project.
Week 12 (November
27)
Presentation
Complete Political
Satire presentations. Presentation of media artists.
Lab
Discuss and work
on final project.
Week 13 (December
4)
Discussion
Presentation of
media artists.
Lab
Advanced techniques,
work on final project
Week 14 (December
11)
Discussion
Presentation of
media artists.
Lab
Advanced techniques,
work on final project
Week 15 (December
18)
Assignments and
Grading
Class Discussion
(20%)
Each student is
required to participate in weekly class discussion based on readings
and lecture.
Class Presentation
(20%)
Each student is
required to present and critique the work of major electronic and digital
artists.
Bi-weekly Projects
(30%)
Biweekly projects
will be assigned focusing on the application of digital tools and techniques
Final Project (30%)
A final project
will consist of an integrated work (more than one media) that incorporates
the application of digital tools and artistic strategies presented throughout
the course. Students may choose from a variety of formats including:
video, animation, and the web.
Miscellaneous
Materials
Each student is
required to store their work on zip cartridges.
Internet Access
Everyone is required
to have an e-mail account. All written assignments will be handed in
electronically by email.
Server Account
Accounts will be
issued for students to use the class server. A password and user ID
will give you access to the server either from the lab, anywhere on
campus, or by dial-in from home or work.
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