ADVANCED TOPICS IN NEW MEDIA
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2006
CNM 201/IEOR 298-3: Advanced Topics in New Media
M 6:30-7:30
Moffitt Library 150D
Prof. Ken Goldberg
goldberg(at)ieor(dot)berkeley(dot)edu
TAs:
Irene Chien
ichien(at)berkeley(dot)edu
Kris Paulsen
kris(dot)paulsen(at)gmail(dot)com
Course Description:
CNM 201 will be held in conjunction with the Art, Technology and Culture Colloquium, a monthly lecture series that brings internationally known speakers to campus to present their work on advanced topics in new media. This semester's speakers include: performance artist Pamela Z, video game hacker and digital artist Cory Arcangel, SFMOMA's Media Arts Curator Rudolf Frieling, among others.
Students will enhance skills in "interrogating" new media: how to think critically about advanced topics in new media, how to use new media resources such as the internet to research pioneering work in new media, how to formulate incisive questions about new media, and how to evaluate and create effective presentations on topics in new media.
During the week prior to each lecture, students will research each speaker and formulate incisive questions. During each lecture, students will attend, take careful notes, and ask incisive questions. During the week after each lecture, students and instructors will review and evaluate strengths (and weaknesses) of speaker presentations and advanced topics in new media.
This course is open to graduate students from any department and upper level undergraduates (upon instructor approval).This course fulfills the Designated Emphasis in New Media 201 requirement.
Requirements:
Students must attend the class meetings and the ATC lectures. Please see the attached course schedule for the specific dates of classes and lectures. Students must research each speaker and are responsible for generating discussion and contributing to a course blog. Required readings will be handed out or posted on the website.
Grading:
This course is 2 credits. It will be graded on the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory scale. To obtain a Satisfactory grade, students must come prepared to each class, contribute to class discussions and the class blog, and turn in a list of three incisive and relevant questions for each visiting speaker in the Art, Technology, and Culture lecture series. Attendance is expected: students with more than two unexcused absences will not receive a Satisfactory grade.
Class Schedule:
| August 28 | First Class meeting. Prep for Pamela Z.
Read: Pamela Z, "A Tool Is a Tool". |
| September 11 | Present research and questions for Pamela Z.
ATC Lecture: "Making Faces: Theatrical Materiality and Technological Embodiment," Pamela Z (Performance Artist, SF). 7:30-9, Kroeber 160 |
| September 18 | Discuss Pamela Z's lecture. |
| September 25 | Present research and questions for Marianne Weems.
ATC Lecture: "Mediatic Performance: New Technologies for Old Theater," Marianne Weems (Director, The Builders Association, NY). 7:30-9, Kroeber 160 |
| October 2 | No Class (Yom Kippur) |
| October 9 | Discuss Marianne Weems' lecture.
Read: Caitlin Jones, "My Art World is Bigger Than Your Art World" (hard copies available in class and on informal reserve in Grad Services Library.) Sarah Valdez, "Open Source Art" |
| October 16 | Present research and questions for Cory Arcangel.
ATC Lecture: "Recent Experiments in Modern Composition, Software, and Stand-Up Comedy," Cory Arcangel (Artist, NY). 7:30-9, Kroeber 160 |
| October 23 | Discuss Cory Arcangel's lecture.
Read: Kathleen Richards, "Some Call It Art" Lessley Anderson, "God of the Flies" Ryan Singel, "He Thinks, Therefore He Sells" |
| October 30 | Present research and questions for Jonathan Keats.
ATC Lecture: "Extraterrestrial Aesthetics, Divine Genetics, and Other Thought Experiments," Jonathon Keats (Artist, LA). 7:30-9, Kroeber 160 |
| November 6 | Discuss Jonathan Keats' lecture.
Read: Rudolf Frieling, "Form Follows Format: Tensions, Museums, Media Technology, and Media Art" |
| November 13 | Present research and questions for Rudolf Frieling.
ATC Lecture: "Stop Making Sense: Contextualizing Media Art," Rudolf Frieling (Media Arts Curator, SFMOMA). 7:30-9, Kroeber 160 |
| November 20 | No Class (Note change: class cancelled) |
| November 27 | Discuss Rudolf Frieling's lecture. (Note change: class rescheduled) |
| December 4 | Final Meeting. Wrap up. |