Massachusetts College of Art
SIM 2XX - Live Events: Technology
Fall 2003

Syllabus

Fridays, 9:10 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
Room Tower 312, along with Room Tower 305, aka "Electronic Projects Lab"

Instructor: Nita Sturiale
Email:nsturiale@massart.edu
Office hours: by apt.

Teaching Assistant: Anna Wallack
Email: awallack@hotmail.com

~ Link to weekly schedule ~

Course Description

In this course, students will propose, experiment and practice short live events that depend on the interrelationship between a strong concept and some form of contemporary technology. Since the first human picked up a red ochre drawing tool to tell a story on a cave wall, humans have used technology to extend, express and share their ideas. As contemporary artists, we are able to create connections to these original artistic processes across the millennia as we communicate with our current audiences. These artistic exchanges are live events; musical performance, spoken word, audience participation, street performance, interactive installation, Internet art, artists' talks, even the act of creating and/or contemplating a painting. The technologies of the 21rst century extend the reach of artists in completely new and exciting ways. Through an historical survey of experimental live events, exposure to performance technologies, field trips, discussion, and critique of student work, this course will explore the art of shaping live events that are enabled and/or augmented by technology. Those both with and without computer experience are welcome.

This course is both performance studio and technical workshop. Students will create scripts and direct short live events using classmates, objects, and technologies to express artistic ideas. 

Topics Explored:

• Script and Proposal Writing
• Collaboration
• Direction
• Performance Practice
• Out of doors tools
• Digital Slide Shows and Projections
• Performative Interactivity
• Web-based Artistic Media
• Sound and lighting
• Ubiquitous Computing
• Critique and Discussion methods and vocabulary for art and technology projects

Course Goals and Requirements

Our goal is to learn things we don't already know towards the long-term goal of being effective and articulate artists. The teacher's responsibility is to present information, provocations and a structured environment that will help you learn. Your responsibility is to participate in this environment fully by voicing your interests, thoughts, and questions as well as listening to your classmates. Class participation, discussion and attention is fundamental and required.

Artists express ideas, information, opinions, questions, thoughts, dreams, aesthetic sensibilities, etc. Digital media provides opportunities to express in faster, wider, and, just plain different ways. Learning how to use these tools is just as challenging as learning how to throw a clay pot without it collapsing or calculating the math involved in architectural drafting. It takes patience, a sense of humor and a willingness to try new things without fear. In most cases, you won't break the computer, camera or projector, etc, unless you throw it out a window (which you may want to do at times).

Also required is that you apply for, and use, an email account and that you become practiced at working online. Much of the course materials are online via the following URL - http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart. The syllabus for this course is linked from this page and from there you'll find other specific links to course materials, stimuli and resources which will be refered to throughout the semester.

List of requirements and assignments:

• Get an email account (doesn't have to be from MassArt). Let us know if you need help with this,

• Be present in body - come to clas, on time - more than two absences, or chronic lateness will result in a NC grade,

• Be present in mind and mouth - participate in class discussion and critique sessions,

• Participate in studio workshops,

• Read the readings and be prepared to discuss them in class,

• Complete Assignments:

  1. Define "Live Event" in words
  2. Interview local street performers, or any other artists you know that work with live performance outside traditional settings (not in a theater or concert hall), ON THE JOB, or in their studio, about how they use, maintain, upgrade, etc. their tools. Document (video, audio, slides, transcript) the interview so that you can report on your findings to the class.
  3. Short Live Event Script 1: document that includes PICTURES and WORDS, bring copies for everyone in class. Submit final, signed version to Instructor,
  4. Short Live Event 1: presented to class,
  5. Mid Semester Self-Evaluation (http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/eval/mideval.html)
  6. Short Live Event Script 2: document that includes PICTURES and WORDS, bring copies for everyone in class. Submit final, signed version to Instructor,
  7. Short Live Event 2: presented to class,
  8. Final Self-Evaluation (http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/eval/finaleval.html)
     

Selected Readings

1. Burgy, Donald. "To be an Artist...". Undated.
2. Holland, John. "A Short Text for Speaking Voice", American Sound Press, 1994.
3. Mirapaul, Matthew. "New Public Art Uses the Internet for a Personal Touch", New York Times, August 5, 2000.
4. Ono, Yoko. Instruction Paintings, Weatherhill Inc., various.
5. Pursell, Carroll. White Heat: People and Technology, pgs. 14 - 35
6. Stilgoe, John R. Outside Lies Magic, Walker and Company, 1998. pgs. 1- 19.
7. Wallace, Ronald. "On the problem of a Ten Minute Performance", March 18, 2000.
8. Wolfson, Wendy. "Bio-artist Adam Zaretsky sleeps with the fishes", Red Herring Magazine, March 13, 2002.
9. ?. Keyboard Magazine, September, 1982, pgs 21, 22, 24 & 25.

Stimuli - http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/stimuli.html

Resources - http://www.nitasturiale.com/massart/resources.html