EXPR 242(S) Cyberscapes (Same as ArtS 212)

We are in the midst of a social and cultural revolution of extraordinary proportions. With the rapid spread of electronic, telematic and virtual technologies, the very conditions of experience as well as the social, economic, and political structures of our world are undergoing radical transformation. The media hype about new technologies obscures contribution that modern and postmodern artistic practices have anticipated and promoted many of these changes. In this course, we will attempt to come to a better understanding of cyberspace by approaching this new territory from the perspective of art, philosophy and religion. Issues to be considered include: the changing role of the avant-garde, the relation between post-industrial capitalism and postmodernism, performance, post-modern architecture, gender and technology, the cultural implications of television, video, computers, internet, hypertext, artificial life, and virtual reality. The course also involves a Media Lab in which students will learn how to navigate in dataspace as well as how to create hypertext, artificial life, and virtual reality. The course also involves a Media Lab in which students will learn how to navigate in dataspace as well as how to create hypertexts that use sounds, images, and videos. Class discussions will be based on readings selected by the instructor and websites identifies by students.
Satisfies one semester of Division II requirement. Does not fulfill the requirement for studio art.
Requirements: midterm project, weekly media lab, and final multimedia project.
No prerequisites.

Hour: TAYLOR