Visual Arts Department, UCSD, Spring 2000

Location: Solis 107

Time: Thursday 6:50pm-9:40pm

Instructor: Dr. Lev Manovich

Office: Visual Art Facility (VAF) #553

Office hours: Thursday 4-5pm

Class description:

In this class we will look at current works in computer art, digital media and IT (information technology). These works will come from a variety of area – net.art, interactive computer installations, eletronic music, digital cinema, etc. These works will be placed within the context of modern and in particular twentieth century culture (cinema, art, architecture, etc.). That is, we will discuss how various artistic developments of the past can be thought of as precedents for current computer-based works, and how they can help us to think of new ways to create art with computers.

Class structure:

Classes will combine discussions of current computer works with presentations of relevant works in other media. These will include feature films, such as Metropolis, Blade Runner, and October.

Lectures by the instructor will be supplemented by guest speakers. These may include artists working with computers, critics, theorists and people from the industry.

NOTE: there is going to be some inevitable overlap in material between this class and my other lecture classes taught last quarter -- VIS40, and in particular VIS159. Students concerned with this issue are advised not to take this class.

Requirements: Take home midterm and take home final. For the midterm, you will be asked to write short essays (2 pages) dealing with the material of each lecture in the first part of the course. Final is not qualitative and is similar in structure to midterm. That is, you will be asked to write short essays (2 pages) dealing with the material of each lecture in the second part of the course.

As midterm and final will include questions on every lecture, it is crucial that the students will attend all lectures.

Schedule:

Classes: April 6, 13, 20, 27. May 4, 11, 18, 25. June 1, 8.

Take home midterm is given out: May 4.

Take home midterm is due: May 11.

Take home final is given out: June 8.

Take home final is due: the exam date for this class.