Session 1: In this class we will explore a variety of technologies and techniques that are used for new media art installations. We will look at a wide variety works by artists that span multiple disciplines. The media covered will include video, projection, motion graphics, data visualization, physical computing, touchscreen, mobile devices, and sound. As we research and propose projects we will also immerse ourselves in learning tools like Processing, MaxMSP, PureData, and SuperCollider. Using these technologies might seem overwhelming. One key thing to keep in mind is that it is not the complexity of a project that makes it successful, but the merit of the idea.

Session 2: Today we will review the requirements for the first assignment. It involves creating a project proposal and an artist statement. These are two distinct documents, but when submitting proposals for arts organizations an artist statement is often required. Artist statements are short documents that describe your motivation and inspiration as an artist. They may also describe your interests, goals, and existing work. They differ from biographies that are more likely to list projects, awards, performances, or exhibitions.

A project proposal describes in detail work that you plan to create for a particular exhibition, festival, or event. Project proposals include a three or four paragraph description of the work. They might also include diagrams, scores, images, sounds, or video files. Budgets are often necessary for grant applications or when reimbursement is expected. Today we will look at examples of both types of documents and outline what’s expected for the assignment.