2007F


Instructor
TA




MAT200A Art & Technology


George Legrady
Basak Alper


Tues, Thur 1-3pm - Interaction Visualization Lab 2611, Elings Hall (CNSI)


Final Projects

Echo Model: Human Interaction; Environmental interaction | Andres Burbano, Mariano Mora McGinity, Matthew Stabile

Forget.Me.Not: Alternative passive communication medium; data transmission; bio-tech interface; on-board generative music; aural representation of data | Jeungah Kim, Aaron McLeran

Oversight: Eye tracking; virtual space navigation; foveal vision; visual data analysis; multi-user gaming | Pablo Colapinto, Javier Villegas

Welcome: Aural spatial environment | Salman Bakht, Greg Shear


Course Objectives




Course Goals






Course Format
 

The M200a course “Case Studies in Art & Technology” introduces a number of issues specific to an arts and engineering interdisciplinary program. The course begins by formulating artistic practice as a research activity, a form of prototyping of ideas that address materials, systems, processes, structure and content.

Presentation of case studies and readings that exemplify genres and themes provide an overview of selected topics representative of the discipline. For engineers and musicians, the course functions as an introduction to the discipline. For artists who come from a wide range of backgrounds, the course functions to created common ground and as a platform where they can contribute their specialized knowledge. For MAT, 200a functions to introduce and enhance arts-engineering interdisciplinary collaborative work.

For each lecture, there will be reading assignments with an online report to include links which will be posted at the course website. (this page). A series of assignments leading to the final project will define the development and design process: the final project will consist of a team based project proposal, to be permanently posted with the course schedule. The Final Project is realized through teamwork, as the interdisciplinary artist-sound-engineer team approach is a crucial learning component. The project is challenging as it provides an overview of the design and development process of a digital media artwork consisting of the following: Brainstorming; research; concept development; sketching, visual identity, aesthetics; production details, budget, venues, target audience definition. Students are encouraged to take the process as far as each team is capable.

200a Maillist | Archive


[1]...... 09.27 Th










Readings

Course Introduction Art as Research/Research as Art

F2007 | F2005 | F2004 | W2003 | W2002 | SP2001

Some examples of final projects from previous courses:
Complexity Garden | Rebirth | MetaMesh | Ubicup |

Artists in Research Labs:
Sony [Tanaka] [Sensorband] | IBM Watson [Wattenberg] |
Listening Post: Hansen/Rubin [NYTimes] | Research in Art Lab: Makrolab

Expression & Aesthetics in Science & Art, [notes] B. Jules-Rosette
Science of the Concrete, [overview] Levi-Strauss, pages 14-30


[2].......10.02 Tu



Reading
  Media Arts Literature Overview
Brief description of the discipline with an overview of the key literature of the past 10 years with some earlier historical examples

Art as Research , Information Arts, Steve Wilson, (pp3-31) | Artist Resource Links
   
10.04 Th


Project I
Elements of Media Art for Prototyping:
Material |Phenomena | Process | Structure & Form| Culture & Content | Virtual, Simulation

OBSERVATION/CLASSIFICATION SKETCH: Choose one of the following:
a) Select 2 to 4 everyday situations: Visualize/describe their structure, inherent rule-based systems
b) We create meaning through classification. Create a set consisting of elements that have similarities and differences.

Present these as informal visual sketches using assembled photos, sketches on board, a web page, etc. on October 11


[3]...... 10.09 Tu


Reading
  Experiments in Art & Technology (LACMA, 1967-1970)
Early arts, industry, & engineering: An overview of the 1960's EAT experiments

A Report on the Art and Technology Program at LACMA, 1967, Tuchman, (pp9-47)
   
10.11 Th

Discipline Overview
An overview of the Media Arts Discipline: What are the range of expertise; multidisciplinary influences; methods of work; formats, venues, audiences, funding, etc.


[4]....... 10.16 Tu   DATA VISUALIZATION [Slides ppt]
Visual Complexity

Reading   Discovering Unexpected Infovis Aesthetics Unresolved InfoVis Problems

10.18 Th


Project II
  MAPPING DATA
Wattenberg | Artistic ref on variations: | Denes | Lesak | Feldman-Kiss

MAPPING: Create a Visual Map that represents: Your background, training, discipline, personal circumstances that led you to where you are today. Show cross-references. You pick the form, or metaphor: a map, a visual index in the back of a book, a menu on a webpage, etc. Presentation on October 25,


[5]...... 10.23 Tu





Reading
  THE OPTICAL-COMPUTATIONAL IMAGE: VISION & POINT OF VIEW(S)
Optical mechanical, computational image (def)
What is an Image | Anamorphosis [marci/zoltan [1]] | Walicsky |
Humanities: Algorithmic Image Conf UCSB |
Engineering: Light fields | def | PhotoSynth |

Picture Posing Questions | From Video to Camera Phones, Dreher
   
10.25 Th

Student project presentations


[6]...... 10.30 Tu




Reading
  SPACE-STRUCTURE-FORM | MACHINE CULTURE
Objects, machines, installations, spatialization
Gabo | Fuller | Cragg | Kapoor [1]| Digital fabrication | Weiser | Robotic Chair [1] [2] [3]| | Block-Jam | Ned Kahn | Bohlen | DECOI |

Shape-Time Photography, Freeman, Zhang
   
11.01 Th




Course Project
SPACE-TIME, LOCATIVE & INTERACTIVITY
Projects in space-time & Interactivity
Marey [1] [2]| Art+COM [1] | Ruhm | Scalable City | Moeller | Courschene | Fujihata |
Senseable, Graz [1] | Jeff Han

a) Topic Identified | Brainstorming


[7]...... 11.06 Tu










Reading
  NUMBERS, DATA, PATTERN, GEOMETRIES, ALGORITHMS, PROCEDURES [AlgoMath_ppt]
Art projects that explore procedures, numerical methods

Lewitt | Baldessari [1]| John Simon | Ikeda | Miyajima | Campbell | jodi

Scientific/Mathematical Resources:| UCSB AHLERS [Becker] | Voronoi/Delaunay [1] | Snibbe | Perlin [NYU]| NKS | Belousov+Zhabotinski

Architecture: Marcos Novak | KolMac Studio |
Ornaments: PTW architects | Aoki | Omni Space |

Transvergence, Novak | Generative Convergences, Kolatan

   
11.08 Th



Course Project

DESIGN PROCESS: METHODOLOGY & AESTHETIC PULL
Research, concept definition, resources, sketching, production details, budgets, visual identity, target audience, sample production, web design details

b) Research & Concept Development

[8]...... 11.13 Tu





Reading
  AESTHETIC DIRECTIONS IN BIO, GENETIC, ECO-VISUALIZATION
Emergent_Art: Sommerer-Mignonneau | Karl Sims
Bio_Nature: Self-Organizing Camazine | Syntfarm | Swarm (Ramos) |
Bio_Robotics: Stelarc | Rinaldo
Bio_Eco: Tiffany Holmes || Vanouse | Da Costa | Critical art Ensemble | Symbiotica |

ACM2006 Multimedia Interactive Arts Papers
   

11.15 Th

Course Project

Course Project (Teams present concepts)

c) Production details developed (What expertise is needed, what is the workload, how much time, how much funds, what the venues, audiences may be, etc. )


[9]...... 11.20 Tu







Course Project
  SOUND ART | ENVIRONMENT | INSTALLATION
A few examples of sound used as a site specific experience

Ambient sound: Fontana | Neuhaus |
Speakers as elements in installation: Rath | Minard
Sound & Objects: Heckert | van der Heide | deMarinis
Installation: Kubisch | Osborne

d) Sketches, Aesthetic is identified (Visual Identity)
   

[10].... 11.27 Tu




Reading
  ARTS-ENGINEERING HYBRID RESEARCH
M256
: Projects in FFT, 2D/3D, Randomness and Arts-Engineering Synthesis

Hansen/Wolcott | FM: Smith/Kang | TOH

Perspectives on Collaborative Research and Education in Media Arts, Leonardo 39:3
Engineering Papers on Art/Architecture Studio Model: U_Houston | U_Wisc
   
11.29 Th

Project Presentation (Work-in-progress with visual identity)

[11]...... 12.4 Tu   Dead Week: Final Production | Individual Team Meetings
12.6 Th

Dead Week: Final Production | Individual Team Meetings