Topic outline

  • General

    Course Structure

    Fall Semester

    Weeks 1-6
    • We meet every Friday 15:15-17:00
    • See the details from the different sections in the sidebar
    Week 7
    • Studio Week G203
    • We have the room G203 booked for our experiments.
    Weeks 8-13
    • We meet every Friday 15:15-17:00
    • See the details from the different sections in the sidebar
    • Deadline: Project Proposal Presentations: 26.11. and 3.12. Book a time for your presentation.
    • Deadline: Project proposal (and imaginary grant application) 10.12.2021

    Spring Semester

    Weeks 1-6
    • Work/studio time

    Exhibition

  • Readings & Materials


    The cove of the book Aesthetics of Interaction in Digital Art by Katja Kwastek

    Kwastek, Katja. Aesthetics of Interaction in Digital Art Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2013.

    This book is going to be our main reference material for this course. We will have discussions on the  different chapters throughout the fall semester.

    The entire book is available on archive.org: https://archive.org/details/AestheticsOfInteractionInDigitalArt You can download it in many different formats from that page.

  • Exhibition (Gallery Unika)

    The Space

    Our exhibition is going to be at Gallery Unika that is connected to the WHS Teatteri Union.

    It is not your normal white cube space with white walls, but rather an interesting mixture of different patterns and textures.

    The gallery space to the right from the main entrance

    View to the left
    Back left
    back middle
    Middle small room
    Back right

  • Week 1 | 17.09.

    Room R107

    • 15:15-16:15 Interactive Art lecture (Matti's teaching demonstration for a lecturer tenure track position)
    • 16:15-16:30 Break
    • 16:15-17:00 Short continuation of practical issues + a little walk outside in Otaniemi.
    Sorry! I had wrong times here earlier. My mistake! -Matti

    Readings

    Read before October 8:

    Pages 1-69 (+preface and introduction)
    • Preface, Introduction
    • Chapter 1
    • Chapter 2

    Prepare for the first assignment

    1. Present an artwork, artist, concept, idea, theme, technology, medium etc. that inspires you right now. It does not have to be interactive/new media/digital art.
    2. Present something you have done before that tells something meaningful about who you are, the way you work, what you want to do, what are you interested in. Or you can present your initial idea if you already have one.

    October 1, book a time via MyCourses (I will add the link soon).

    You have 15 minutes total.



    Watch

  • Week 2 | 24.09.

  • Week 3 | 01.10. | Presentations

    1st Assignment

    1. Present an artwork, artist, concept, idea, theme, technology, medium etc. that inspires you right now. It does not have to be interactive/new media/digital art.
    2. Present something you have done before that tells something meaningful about who you are, the way you work, what you want to do, what are you interested in. Or you can present your initial idea if you already have one.

    October 1, book a time via MyCourses.
    You have 15 minutes total.


  • Week 4 | 08.10. | Chapters One and Two

    Discussions on the course book. Pages 1-69 (+preface and introduction)

    • Preface, Introduction
    • Chapter 1
    • Chapter 2

  • Week 5 | 15.10. | Rain Room

    Familiarize yourself with the work Rain Room from Random International

    https://www.random-international.com/rain-room-2012


    Read these articles:


    Use this Miro board to take collective notes: https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lr5lOvg=/?invite_link_id=233460942355
    • add any thoughts, notes, comments, observations or questions you might have. We will discuss your ideas during the class.

  • Week 6 | 22.10. | Chapter Three: The Aesthetics of Play

    Please read chapter three of our course book: https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/view.php?id=34177&section=1
    The Aesthetics of Play

    Please also read the pdf provided below:

    Pearce, Celia. Games AS art: The Aesthetics of Play
    Visible Language; 2006; 40, 1; Academic Research Library

    Add your questions, comments, thoughts, references to our Miro board: https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lrqicBw=/?invite_link_id=294598989103


  • Week 7 | Studio Week

    Mark here when you are coming to Väre this week:
    https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_loQSvqI=/?invite_link_id=755682163852


    Monday

    • Use the G203 (or any other space) to test out your initial ideas or use the time for reading, writing, planning etc.


    Tuesday

    • Use the G203 (or any other space) to test out your initial ideas or use the time for reading, writing, planning etc.
    • 15:00 Visit to the gallery space (Unika Gallery/WHS Teatteri Union) https://teatteriunion.fi/


    Wednesday

    • Use the G203 (or any other space) to test out your initial ideas or use the time for reading, writing, planning etc.


    Thursday

    • Use the G203 (or any other space) to test out your initial ideas or use the time for reading, writing, planning etc.


    Friday

    • Use the G203 (or any other space) to test out your initial ideas or use the time for reading, writing, planning etc.
    • We meet at 13:15 in G203, I would like to hear a small report on what you have been doing during the week.

  • Week 8 | 05.11. | Chapter Four | Room L102

    Let's discuss the fourth chapter of our course book:
    The Aesthetics of Interaction in Digital Art (pages 89–175)

    As always, add your notes to our Miro board: https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lrqicBw=/?invite_link_id=800557583629

    Room L102


  • Week 9 | 12.11. | Case Studies & Chapter Four continued

    Browse through the case studies and pick one of them that interests you the most and read that in greater detail.

    We will continue with chapter four.

    Add your notes on our Miro board. I would love to see you post relevant other artworks or references.

    https://miro.com/app/board/o9J_lrqicBw=/?invite_link_id=901520333313

  • Week 10 | 19.11. | Exhibition planning and discussing the rest of the semester

    Let's discuss the exhibition and practical issues for the rest of the course.

    The book can be at rest for now, but I would still like some more comments on our Miro board. I will do my wrap-up lecture on things from the book on December 10.

  • Week 11 | 26.11. | Project Proposal Presentations #1

    Present what you want to do for our exhibition. You have about 20 minutes each for showing your ideas and for us to discuss them together.

    Format is free, do it however you feel is the best way to explain your idea.

    Note this doesn't yet need to have all the details of the "fake grant application". You will have until 10.12. to submit the actual documents.


  • Week 12 | 03.12. | Project Proposal Presentations #2

    Present what you want to do for our exhibition. You have about 20 minutes each for showing your ideas and for us to discuss them together.

    Format is free, do it however you feel is the best way to explain your idea.

    Note this doesn't yet need to have all the details of the "fake grant application". You will have until 10.12. to submit the actual documents.


  • Week 13 | 10.12. | Project Proposal Guidelines

    Submit your project proposal to the assignments on MyCourses. You can also submit the application to AVEK to apply for actual funding but note that they might consider this as "educational establishment productions".

    Follow the guidelines of the Media Art Grant from AVEK:

    https://www.kopiosto.fi/en/AVEK/funding/avek-grants-and-support-guidelines/media-art/

    Media art grant

    Media art grant is a personal grant for private individuals, intended for the production of small-scale works of media art. The grant is always work-specific. The amount of the media art grant is 6,000 euros.

    The applicant must have a Finnish social security number. Support is applied for through the online application system.


    Support criteria
    • Applicant works professionally in media art.
    • Support will be used for making a new work of media art.
    • AVEK support does not cover all production costs of the work; it must have other confirmed financing.
    • All copyright licences and possible other compensations for third parties have been taken into account in the application.
    • Public premiere or exhibition for the work has been confirmed.

    Support will not be granted for
    • completed works
    • presentation programmes, serialised programmes, educational establishment productions, educational films, amateur works, music videos, background projections
    • equipment purchases
    • exhibitions, presentations, events

    Application annexes
    • script or other content plan
    • working plan and timetable
    • budget and financing plan with itemised costs, support received and applied for, and possible self-financing share.
    • screening and distribution plan
    • applicant’s CV
    • in case of a working group, CVs of all members
    • brief introduction of essential personnel
    • link to sample images, applicant’s webpage, etc.

    General tips

    • Avoid jargon and over-complicated explanations or wordings.
    • In the description, the first thing should be a 1-2 paragraph summary of what your project is. You can also include how much and for what purpose are you applying the money for. (If the application asks for a summary that will be published [like KONE], you don't need to include the amounts in that summary/abstract).
    • Don't assume that the reader has specific and detailed knowledge.
    • Use active verbs (avoid: "aim", "will", "attempt")
    • Check for typos.
    • Have someone else read it.

  • Week 14 | 14.01. | Exhibition Planning

    Exhibition Planning

    Work on your project for the rest of the time

    • Work independently, book tutoring meetings with Matti

  • Week 15 | 21.01. | Tutoring, Exhibition planning

    Guest talk: TBA

    Work on your project for the rest of the time

    • Work independently, book tutoring meetings with Matti

  • Week 16 | 28.01. | Tutoring, Exhibition planning

    Work on your project

    • Work independently, book tutoring meetings with Matti
    • Friday, January 28: Weekly progress report and Q&A

  • Week 17 | 04.02. | Exhibition Planning

    Work on your project

      • Work independently, book tutoring meetings with Matti
      • Friday, January 28: Weekly progress report and Q&A

  • Week 18 | 07.-11.02. | Studio Week

  • Week 19 | 14.-18.2. | Studio Week

  • Week 20 | 21.-25.2. | Exhibition Opens

  • Project proposal submission (grant application)