In this course we look at artists using game engines for expressive purposes, artists using low tech approaches to investigate pressing issues in technology, and artists generating work through machine learning (AI).
Other artists engage with the digital medium more deeply by working with code or by blurring the boundaries between art and engineering.
Why do some artists learn to program?
Can’t they just use existing applications?
Here are some examples of approaches and projects that are only possible through custom made software.
Imagining a different web
various demetricators by BenGrosser
Wee see in every direction by Jonas Lund (2013)
Imagining a different internet infrastructure
Newstweek by The Critical Engineering Working Group (Julian Oliver Danja Vasiliev) (2011)
Solar protocol by Solar Protocol is led by Tega Brain, Alex Nathanson and Benedetta Piantella (2021-)
Technically complex but easy to explain:
“A naturally intelligent network. This website is hosted across a network of solar powered servers and is sent to you from wherever there is the most sunshine.”
Keepalive by Aram Bartholl (2015)
Making Interactive Installations
Text Rain by Camille Utterback & Romy Achituv (1999)
Angles Mirror (2013) and other analog mirrors by Daniel Rozin
Pulse Room by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (2006)
Augmenting Performances
Messa di Voce by Tmema, Blonk + La Barbara (2003)
Pixel by Adrien M & Claire B (2014)
LuYang Delusional World x LuYang Delusional Hell by Lu Yang (2020)
Programming robots
IAA (1998-2008)
Can’t Help Myself by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu (2016)
Jller by Prokop Bartoníček and Benjamin Maus. (2015)
Scraping and manipulating data
3 Degrees of Separation from the Military-Industrial-Prison-Data-Surveillance State by Sam Lavigne (2015)
Empowering the disempowered
Way too often emerging technologies end up exacerbating existing power unbalances.
Artist can be a counterpower. There is a spectrum between political artistic gesture and making tools for activism.
Transborder Immigrant Tool – Electronic Disturbance Theater / B.A.N.G. Lab (2007-)
The Argus Project by Ayodamola Tanimowo Okunseinde & team (2016-)
Can the subaltern speak? by Behnaz Farahi (2020)
Flone.cc cheap, open source quadcopter (2014)