Bun Stout

The course Research Studio II builds on the learning outcomes from Research Studio I, asking students to continue to develop and connect their own work and ideas with a diverse range of artists, designers, and communities. This spring the entire Contemporary Practice department will have a shared umbrella topic for our RSII courses: Contemporary Now. All RSII classes will engage with the present and what is happening right now. With the world moving so fast - a pandemic, fires burning across the US west, people marching in the streets across the globe, and the storms that seem to keep coming, it is critical we ask questions of ourselves as artists, designers, educators and cultural producers: What responsibility do we have at any moment in history? How can the diversity of our practices: research, study, making and actions, address the present and design the future we want to see? In RSII courses students will investigate this shared departmental thematic through the intersection of their own practice and the pedagogical practices of their faculty. All RSII classes are interdisciplinary, faculty have provided a subtitle, and a short description to describe the lens through which their class will explore the theme of Contemporary Now.

In this course students will explore augmented reality softwares connected to social media and artists’ methodologies for ‘misusing’ commercial software. Primarily creating with Meta Spark AR and Photoshop, we will investigate how artists relate to technologies like mixed reality, facial recognition, blockchain, and AI image generation. We’ll research how and why these technologies are developed and how we can speak to their use from political, cultural, historical and conceptual vantages rather than simply using and being used by them. We’ll consider creators and writers contributing to conversations about artists’ relationships with technology such as Ian Cheng, Jacolby Satterwhite, Hito Steryl, Donna Haraway, David O’Reilly, Rachel Rossin, Everest Pipkin, and New Art City. Students will create augmented reality projects in a wide range of digital and analog approaches, including but not limited to digital 3D, animation, painting, photography, audio, and fashion. Projects will include developing a facial recognition “filter”, plane-tracked digital sculpture or environment, and mixed reality poster or wearable.

Students learn a wide range of post-production digital techniques for 2D animation, compositing (layering, collaging), and creating visual effects for video productions. Students produce projects that incorporate manipulated still images, animation, desktop video, and audio. Those who are intrigued by this kind of image manipulation will find the capabilities of the software dynamic and inspiring. Screenings and analysis focus on the use of such techniques in the world of video art, television, and film.

Students learn a wide range of post-production digital techniques for 2D animation, compositing (layering, collaging), and creating visual effects for video productions. Students produce projects that incorporate manipulated still images, animation, desktop video, and audio. Those who are intrigued by this kind of image manipulation will find the capabilities of the software dynamic and inspiring. Screenings and analysis focus on the use of such techniques in the world of video art, television, and film.