Critical Studies
Seminar
Net Culture
Thursday, 4:00 - 7:00
PM
Randall
Packer, Instructor
office hours: 2 - 3 PM
Website: http://www.zakros.com/
seminar syllabus:
http://www.zakros.com/mica/sp00/seminarsp00.html
Zero
Gravity : Digital Arts Resource On-Line
Course Description
Through the writings
of artists, scientists, and theorists, and the work of contemporary Net
artists, we will examine issues surrounding Internet culture: its history,
evolution, and impact on art, society, and the human condition. Central
to this study will be the identification of trends, issues, and key concepts
critical to our understanding of the emerging contemporary Net culture.
The course will explore artistic strategies and technical issues specific
to work created for the Internet, as well as work that bridges virtual
and physical space. Students are expected to independently research and
critique Net artworks, engage in class discussion (including on-line),
and maintain a Web notebook in which they will record and synthesize their
reflections on Net issues. A final project will consist of a "paper"
created for the Web that explores the medium's potential as a vehicle
for artistic and social transformation.
2.15.00
Introduction
Review of course
objectives, readings, assignments, and projects.
Artworks: Discussion
of the ZKM (Center for Art and Media)
Net_Condition
and the Walker Art Center's Network
Art Entertainment Net art exhibitions. Students will select works
for independent study and class presentation.
Assigned Reading
for 2.24
- "Hypomnemata"
from an interview with Michel Foucault, ArtNetWeb's
<i>iola</i>
journal. (Web)
- "Art as Interactive
Communications: Networking a Global Culture," Postmodern Currents:
Art and Artists in the Age of Electronic Media; Margot Lovejoy,
1998
2.24
Telematic Art
History and evolution
of communications technologies, the Internet, and the World Wide Web
as an emerging artistic medium.
Works: Paul
Sermon, "Telematic
Dreaming" (1992); Douglas Davis, "World's
Longest Collaborative Sentence" (1994); Eduardo
Kac, "Essay Concerning
Human Understanding" (1994); Antonio Muntadas, "The
File Room" (1994); Jenny Holzer, "Please
Change Beliefs" (1995);
Assigned Reading
for 3.2
- "Mudding:
Social Phenomena in Text-Based Virtual Realities," Pavel Curtis,
(1992)
- "Introduction:
Identity in the Age of the Internet," Life on the Screen,
Sherry Turkle 1996
3.2
MUDs (Multi-user
Dungeons)
On-line multi-user
environments and their impact on social interaction, identity, and role-playing.
Work: LambdaMOO,
Pavel Curtis
(1992); Pleasure
Island, Randall Packer and Jan Millsapps (1999)
Assigned Reading
for 3.9
3.9
Telepresence
Definition: Extending
our physical and mental being into a remote space by means of telecommunications
technologies.
Photo
of earth.
Work: "Telegarden,"
Ken Goldberg; Refresh,
Diller + Scofidio, "Light
on the Net," Musaki Fujihata
Assigned Reading
for 3.14
- "Gesamtdatenwerk:
Connectivity, Transformation and Transcendence," Roy Ascott, 1995
- "Essay
on 16 Sessions," Randall Packer, 1999
3.16 (on-line),
3.23
Gesamtdatenwerk:
Data Mapping
Internet methodologies
and tools such as data analysis, intelligent agents and database technologies
are being adopted for artistic purpose.
Work: "16
Sessions," C5 and Joel Slayton (1998); 1:1,
C5 and Lisa Jevbratt (1999); "Desktop
IS," Alexei Shulgin
Special: Whitney
Museum of American Art 2000
Biennial, Internet Art. "RTMark"
Ray Thomas; "Every
Icon," John Simon; "Superbad,"
Ben Benjamin
Assigned Reading
for 3.30 (on-line)
- "The Net and the
Future of Being Fictive," Sheldon Renan
3.30 (on-line)
Narrativity
Hypermedia and networked
technologies have created new opportunities for interactive narrative
and non-sequential on-line experience involving viewer participation.
Work: "My
Boyfriend Came Back From the War," Olia Liolina; "Grammatron,"
Mark Amerika
Assigned Reading
for 4.4
- Alan Kay, "User
Interface: A Personal View" 1989
4.4
Deconstructing
the User Interface
Net artists are
employing "low-tech" strategies that undermine conventional
approaches to user interface design and interactivity.
Work: "Jodi.org,"
Dirk Paesmans and Joan Heemskerk, "The
Shredder," Mark Napier, "Form,"
Alexi Shulgin
Assigned Reading
for 4.13
- Marshall McLuhan,
"Introduction" Understanding Media, 1964
4.13
The Global Village
The Internet has
brought about the dissolution of space and time. How does Net art transcend
geographical and temporal boundaries?
Work: "JennyCam,"
Jenny; "Breathing
Earth," Sensorium; "Mori,"
Randall Packer and Ken Goldberg.
Assigned Reading
for 4.20
- Marcos Novak, "Liquid
Architectures," Cyberspace: First Steps, 1991
4.20
Liquid Architectures
Networked virtual
spaces that combine the poetics and fluidity of cyberspace with architectural
structures.
Reading
- "Is There
Love in the Telematic Embrace," Roy Ascott, 1990
- "The Art and Architecture
of Cyberspace", Collective Intelligence, Pierre Lévy,
1995
4.27
Collective Intelligence
Definition: Individuals
collectively producing an expanded intelligence and knowledge through
social interaction in networked space.
"Human intelligence?
Its space is dispersion. Its time, the eclipse. Its knowledge, the fragment.
Collective intelligence realizes its reintegration... Through the intermediary
of virtual worlds, we can not only exchange information but think together,
share our memories and our plans to produce a cooperative brain."
-- Pierre Lévy, from Collective Intelligence
5.4
Final Project
Discussion and critique
of final projects.
Assignments and
Grading
Class Discussion
and Presentation (20%)
Each student is
required to participate in class discussion and present Net artworks
selected from current on-line exhibitions.
Web Notebook (40%)
A Web notebook is
maintained throughout the semester. The notebook will serve as a personal
journal containing position statements to readings, critique of artworks,
and summaries of class discussion, etc. The notebook is a multimedia
sketchbook, a place to develop your ideas, experiment with media technologies,
and record your observations. The notebook will be graded on the basis
of your ability to process and absorb key concepts introduced throughout
the course. The notebook needs to be kept up on a regular basis and
will be checked weekly throughout the course.
Final Project (40%)
A final project
will consist of a "paper" created for the Web that explores
the medium's potential as a vehicle for artistic and social transformation,
drawing from class discussion, readings, and research of Net artworks.
Miscellaneous
Materials
Work will be stored
on a class server. There is a limit of 5 megabytes per person, so if
you want to create additional media, or transport your work home, it
will be necessary to use removable storage media.
Internet Access
Everyone is required
to have an e-mail account. All written assignments will be created on
the Web or 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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