Advanced Projects in Digital Art

From David Darts Wiki

Welcome to Advanced Projects in Digital Art. In this course, students will experiment with a variety of digital technologies and will be asked to consider their potential and implications for the production and (re)distribution of art & culture.

Theory and Practice Students will actively theorize and experiment with the tools, platforms, and processes of contemporary media and culture.

Contents 1 Course Instructor 2 Required Equipment 3 Class Schedule 3.1 January 23 3.2 January 30 3.3 February 6 3.4 February 13 3.5 February 20 3.6 February 27 3.7 March 5 3.8 March 12 3.9 March 19 3.10 March 26 3.11 April 2 3.12 April 9 3.13 April 16 3.14 April 23 3.15 April 30 3.16 May 7 4 Course Assignments 4.1 1. Wearables/Wearable Tech 4.2 2. The Art of Surveillance 4.3 3. Distributed Gallery Project 4.4 4. Aerial Video Mapping 4.5 5. Weekly Readings, Homework Assignments, Class Projects, and Personal Engagement 5 Policies 5.1 Evaluation 5.2 Disabilities Statement 5.3 Academic Integrity 5.4 University Policy on Student Conduct

Course Instructor

• David Darts
• Office: 3rd Floor Barney building
• Office Hours: Drop in or by appointment at darts[at]nyu[dot]edu

Required Equipment

• Students should have a laptop.

Class Schedule

Classes will be held in the Digital Studio (Rm. 401) of NYU Steinhardt's Barney building.

Please note the class schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Students should check this site regularly for updates and modifications.

January 23

• Introductions to course, instructor and students.
• Lecture: Public Space Art

January 30

• Lecture: Wearable Tech

February 6

• Critique: 3 Wearable concepts

February 13

• Critique: Refined wearable concept
• View RiP: A Remix Manifesto
• Homework: Read Little Brother (2008) by Cory Doctorow (Ch 1-10) (can be purchased here or downloaded for free here).

February 20

• No class (Presidents Day)
• Homework: Read Little Brother (Ch 11-end)

February 27

• Workshop: Aerial Photography and File sharing

March 5

• Discuss: Little Brother
• Lecture: Digital Surveillance & Privacy
• Homework: Read Foucault's Discipline & Punish (1975) (pdf)

March 12

• No class (NYU Spring Break)

March 19

• Critique: 3 Digital Surveillance & Privacy concepts

March 26

• TBA

April 2

• TBA

April 9

• TBA

April 16

• TBA

April 23

• TBA

April 30

• TBA

May 7

• TBA

Course Assignments

1. Wearables/Wearable Tech

(Individual Project - Due: TBA) Students will conceptualize and create a prototype for a wearable art work. One of the key criteria for the assignment is that your design attempt to serve as a form of social critique. It should serve to stimulate debate about technological, social, psychological, or ethical issues. As you develop your project, be sure to ask yourself what conversations or debates might it stimulate? What questions or problems is your project attempting to respond to?

Finished projects must include a prototype (does not need to fully function), 60-second intro video, title, brief description (2-3 paragraphs), and photographs and design sketches documenting the project. Students will be expected to present their work in class.

2. The Art of Surveillance

(Individual Project - Due: TBA) Students will develop a public intervention-based project that responds to issues of surveillance, privacy, and control. More info will be provided in class.

3. Distributed Gallery Project

(Group Project - Due: TBA) Working as a class, students will design, create, and curate a distributed gallery. More info will be provided in class.

4. Aerial Video Mapping

(Group Project - Due: TBA) Working as a class, students will develop tools and systems for use in an aerial video mapping project. More info will be provided in class.

5. Weekly Readings, Homework Assignments, Class Projects, and Personal Engagement

(Due: Throughout the term) Throughout the semester, students will be required to complete exercises, projects, and homework assignments related to the course themes. Students will also be asked to critique and respond in writing to the readings and class activities. These reflections and critiques should be both critical and constructive — they will form part of the basis of our weekly discussions in class. Students will often be required to submit them to the class Google group for feedback and critique.

Students are expected to regularly attend class and actively engage in ALL discussions, exercises, and activities. The course carries a heavy reading load and students are expected to complete all of the weekly readings before the beginning of each class.

Policies

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated based on successful completion of all course assignments and activities. The work you complete for this class should represent graduate quality scholarship and art making. It will be evaluated based on its intellectual rigor, originality, artistry, and craftsmanship. Final grades will be awarded according to the NYU Department of Art and Art Professions guidelines.

• A 95 to 100
• A- 90 to 94
• B+ 85 to 89
• B 80 to 84
• B- 79 to 75
• C+ 70 to 74
• C 69 to 65
• C- 60 to 64
• D 59 and below

Disabilities Statement

Any student attending NYU who needs an accommodation due to a chronic, psychological, visual, mobility and/or learning disability, or is Deaf or Hard of Hearing should register with the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities at 212 998-4980, 240 Greene Street.

Academic Integrity

All students are responsible for understanding and complying with the NYU Steinhardt Statement on Academic Integrity. A copy is available here.

University Policy on Student Conduct

The relationship between students and faculty is the keystone of the educational experience at New York University. This relationship takes an honor code for granted. Mutual trust, respect and responsibility are foundational requirements. Thus, how you learn is as important as what you learn. A University graduate school education aims not only to produce high quality scholars, but to also cultivate honorable citizens. For specific details about the NYU University Policy on Student Conduct please download and refer to the NYU guide on student conduct.