Qianxun Chen

What is media art, and why is it relevant to us? The class aims to provide an entry point for anyone interested in the intersection of art and technology, where art gets more creative possibilities through the introduction of latest development in technology, and technology is imagined differently through the lens of art. We will go through early generative art, internet and browser-based art to contemporary examples to look at how artists engage with technology: as a creative tool, a subject of reflection, and a weapon of rebellion.

In this course, you will build a solid foundation in programming by learning Python. Basic programming concepts such as variables, data structures, control flow, functions, and object-oriented programming will be taught along with practical applications such as file handling, web scraping, and working with Python libraries. You'll also gain experience using code editors, the command line, and Git for version control.

In this course, you will build a solid foundation in programming by learning Python. Basic programming concepts such as variables, data structures, control flow, functions, and object-oriented programming will be taught along with practical applications such as file handling, web scraping, and working with Python libraries. You'll also gain experience using code editors, the command line, and Git for version control.

How can media art help us critically engage, disrupt, or reimagine the ways we interact with technology? This seminar explores the dynamic intersection of media art and digital technology, combining insights and methodologies from critical theory and artistic examples. We will examine the technical side of digital media—its hardware, software, and data—through the lens of media art that reflects, critiques, or subverts these technological foundations. From early generative art to internet and browser-based art, we will look at how artists engage with digital technology as a tool, a subject, and a weapon. Assigned readings will ground our discussions within broader theoretical frameworks, drawing from software studies, media archaeology, and science and technology studies.

References:
"How We Became Posthuman" by Katherine Hayles
"Programmed Visions" by Wendy Chun
"A Prehistory of the Cloud" by Tung-Hui Hu
"The Age of Surveillance Capitalism" by Shoshana Zuboff

A hands-on technical workshop on web programming, covering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, with a final project focusing on building a website.