PracticalUTC
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Unravel the Code
Our current situation is one of extreme and intensive information exchange. As both broadcasters and receivers, we are participants, caught up in the vortex of information glut. The explosion of communication technologies and our subsequent dependence on them affect us both personally and socially.
Our daily habits have been altered and new rituals have arisen. Our psychological states are also not immune to technology’s effects. Our dwindling attention spans and the ways we relate to or disconnect from our immediate environment are arguably endemic of a techno-obsessed culture.
In our complex reality of everything communicating unfiltered and all at once, how can we make sense of the often-invisible information exchange, curious habits, coded rituals, and aesthetics of our hybrid selves? How does this impact us as social beings? How does this impact our global society, visual culture, politics etcetera?
These questions are at the core of the Unravel the Code, a two quarter project that unravels contemporary phenomena of our shared (digital and networked) culture in order to stimulate the production of new artefacts, artworks and installations.
Quarter 9 consists of 3 projects: Project 1 : Unravel the Meme (2 wks)
Project 2 : Objects for the Lonely (3 wks) Project 3 : Unravel Memory (4 wks)
Learning goals
The objective is that through research, experiment, critical reflection, creation, design and manufacturing, connected to the three projects in Quarter 9, you will gain new knowledge, insights and a critical stance towards digital culture. Following from this you will learn to translate your point of view, your discoveries, into a concrete project.
Assessment criteria
- Depth of research and reflection upon the given theme (demonstrated through wiki and active participation in class meetings and group critiques) - Quality of concept (demonstrated through wiki and final prototype/design object/other) - Exhibiting thorough use of technical workshops, including experiments and tests (demonstrated through process documentation in wiki) - Convincing and precise translation of concepts into required deliverables (demonstrated through prototype/design object/other) - Paying careful attention to the aesthetics and technical execution of the required deliverables (demonstrated through prototype/design object/other) - Communicating the concept and process of your design clearly and effectively. (through public presentation and documentation of your project - Consistent attendance
Projects
Unravel the Meme – the undervalued power of internet farts
keywords: imitation, transformation, replication, participation, sharing, user-generated, dissemination, appropriation, remix, pop culture, subculture ...
Context
A meme is "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture”. The term was introduced by Richard Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene. He defined memes as small cultural units of transmission (similar to genes), which are spread from person to person by copying or imitation. His examples include melodies, catchphrases, fashion, but also abstract beliefs. Many memes are competing for attention, however only some spread succesfully while others die out. Online the internet meme has become a widespread phenomenon. It can take the form of an image, video, picture, website or hashtag. It may be just a word or phrase, including intentional misspelling. These spread from person to person via social networks, blogs, email, or news sources. They can evolve and spread extremely rapidly, sometimes reaching world-wide popularity within a few days. More often than not, we associate memes with mindless fun and entertainment. More often than not, we associate memes with mindless fun and entertainment. However when you take a deeper look at them they can potentially be a powerful digital artefact influencing public opinion, consumer behaviour and culture world-wide.
For this first project you will take look at particular given memes and analyse them.
Formulate your own questions in order to dissect, interpret, assess, the meme. For example:
What characterizes your meme? How is it used? How widespread is it? Where did it originate from? What are keywords that you would attach to it? What is it’s effect? What are it’s components? What does it link to? What is your opinion of this meme? How is it transformed? How would you categorize it’s iterations? What story might you want to tell about this meme? And how would you visualize this story?
Ultimately your findings will be displayed as a mini-exhibition during the Wereld van Witte de With.
Deliverables
- a comparative visual research on your given meme, its wider theme and significance (per duo)
- a new visual work (graphic, film, object...) which encapsulates your given meme within a chosen theme (per duo)
- a visual display including key findings and new work under chosen theme (per group)
- a visually coherent mini-exhibition presentation for the Wereld van Wittle de Width festival (per class)
- documentation of project process and research on personal wiki page (per student)
- documentation of projects and event as wiki post titles "Unravel the Meme" under "Projects and Courses"(volunteer)
Planning
Date | Time & Location | Content |
---|---|---|
Sept 1st | 13-16h @ Interaction Station | intro - meme research |
Sept 3rd | - | group brainstorm / mini-exhibition proposal |
Sept 8th | 13-16h "on location" | discussion, mentoring, exhibition planning |
Sept 10th | 10-17h "on location" | exhibition set-up |
Sept 10th | 18:00-21:00 "on location" | lecture by Roel Abbing - presentations - BYO BORRRRRRRRREL |
Sept 11-13 | Wereld van Witte de With Festival |
Meme groups for Sept 3rd till 10th
Group 01
GROUP MEETING: Thursday 03-09-15 : time & place to be discussed with each other and posted here!
PLEASE INFORM THE ADDED MEMBERS - Donald Schenkel, 0868166@hr.nl AND Leontien van Hattem, 0884174@hr.nl
#black lives matter – activism, racism, movement | Floor Steinz/Emma Rijk
binders full of women - politics, campaigning, blunders | Rens van Pinxteren / Kars van den Heuvel
pepper spraying cop – online lynchmob, an image relating to a singular event | Carly Muller/Julia Rahlff
Group 02
GROUP MEETING: Thursday 03-09-15 13:00 Interaction station
PLEASE INFORM THE ADDED MEMBER - Max Kowalski, 0880569@hr.nl
the selfiestick | Boris Smeenk / Stan Haanappel / Sophie Schulte
planking – dare, rivalry, participating, abdsurdism, action | Dennis Bijleveld/Maevny McAvoy
blue and black or white and gold dress?– differences in perception, mass fascination | Pip Passchier/Pascalle de Jager
Group 03
GROUP MEETING: Thursday 03-09-15 : time & place to be discussed with each other and posted here!
PLEASE INFORM THE ADDED MEMBER - Lisa Vermeer,0875522@hr.nl
bad luck brian – mean, trolling, bullying, humor | Zina Burgers/Laura Lang (laura.lang@gmx.at)
tattas-be-like – cultural stereotypes, humor | Laura E /Eunyang Lee
nailed it! - sarcasm, amateurism | Nora Mabrouki/Meike Brand
Group 04
GROUP MEETING: Thursday 03-09-15 : time & place to be discussed with each other and posted here!
PLEASE INFORM THE ADDED MEMBER - Inouschka de Nooijer, 0866389@hr.nl
doge - formats that become a cultural phenomenon | Judith v/d Heiden/Stijn van Aardenne
rick rolling - ambush | Marjolein Stassen/Arthur Boer
three wolf moon t-shirt – comments reframing original content and triggering spin-offs | Brice Ammar Khodja/Lars Noback
Objects for the Lonely
keywords: connection, disconnection, dependence, behaviour, belonging, engaging, overload....
Context
TBA
Deliverables
TBA
Planning
Date | Time & Location | Content |
---|---|---|
Sept 15th | 13-16h @ Interaction Station | |
Sept 17 | - | Self-Study |
Sept 22nd | 13-16h @ Interaction Station | |
Sept 25th | - | Self-Study |
Sept 29th | 13-16h @ Interaction Station | |
Nov 10 | 13-17h @ Interaction Station | Project Presentation |
Crafting Memory
keywords: human remembrance vs technological memory
Context
TBA
Deliverables
TBA
Planning
Date | Time & Location | Content |
---|---|---|
Oct 8th | 13-16h @ Interaction Station | |
Oct 14th | All Day @ Interaction Station | CRAFTING MEMORY WORKSHOP w/ MICA |
Oct 15th | All Day @ Interaction Station | CRAFTING MEMORY WORKSHOP w/ MICA |
Oct 16th | All Day @ Interaction Station | CRAFTING MEMORY WORKSHOP w/ MICA |
Oct 17-18 | DDW Eindhoven | Exhibitions/Events |
Oct 29th | Impakt Festival (Utrecht) | exhibition set-up |
Nov 10 | 13-17h @ Interaction Station | Project Presentation |
Names and contact info
- Stijn van Aardenne, 0883885@hr.nl
- Brice Ammar Khodja, 0918590@hr.nl/brice.touquette@gmail.com
- Dennis Bijleveld, 0884964@hr.nl
- Arthur Boer, 0882827@hr.nl
- Meike Brand, 0883201@hr.nl
- Zina Burgers, 0877294@hr.nl
- Laura Egger-Karlegger, 0918622@hr.nl/laura@asifa.net
- Stan Haanappel, 0877946@hr.nl
- Leontien van Hattem, 0884174@hr.nl
- Judith van der Heiden, 0864247@hr.nl
- Kars van den Heuvel, 0884318@hr.nl
- Pascalle de Jager, 0884310@hr.nl
- Max Kowalski, 0880569@hr.nl
- Laura Lang, 0918624@hr.nl/aura.lang@gmx.at
- Eun Yang Lee, 0918584@hr.nl
- Nora Mabrouki, 0877573@hr.nl
- Maevanwy Mcavoy, 0918617@hr.nl
- Carly Muller, 0880287@hr.nl
- Lars Noback, 0884935@hr.nl
- Inouschka de Nooijer, 0866389@hr.nl
- Pip Passchier, 0880524@hr.nl
- Rens van Pinxteren,0876181@hr.nl
- Julia Rahliff, 0918589@hr.nl/tale.vik@khib.no
- Emma Rijk, 0880827@hr.nl
- Donald Schenkel, 0868166@hr.nl
- Sophie Schulte, 0883041@hr.nl
- Boris Smeenk, 0884964@hr.nl
- Marjolein Stassen, 0879333@hr.nl
- Floor Steinz, 0866254@hr.nl
- Lisa Vermeer, 0875522@hr.nl
- Jon Stam, jonstam@gmail.com
- Gabrielle Marks, g.c.c.marks@hr.nl