Interdisciplinary Arts 0239 - Art/Nature/Technology

The discourses of art, nature, and technology have been intertwined for centuries, but as technology becomes more sophisticated, it is possible for artworks to go beyond just representing nature, and to begin to simulate it or engage it directly. This course will explore the ways that art can employ both the ideas and tools encountered in areas of research like artificial life, the simulation of complex systems, remote environmental sensing, biomimicry, and green technology. Students will complete a series of conceptually based art projects culminating in a final project of their own devising. Projects will be contextualized by looking at the work of artists working with nature, from the earth art of the 1960s to contemporary work in digital media and robotics. There will be a series of readings on topics like the social construction of nature. Keywords: arduino, programming, installation

Media and Technology Lab fee: $75. Students in this course can expect to spend 6 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time.