Summary
The MA programme in Digital Arts is based on experimental, practice oriented work in response to the interest in digital media as an independent means of expression and leading to art production.
The programme studies a variety of digital art forms – applicable conventions, language and aesthetics; technical and theoretical background as well as historic evolution. It aims to equip students with specialised knowledge and skills in expressing artistic notions using digital media. The programme looks at digital arts as an independent art practice, despite that it is widely applicable throughout the contemporary media based society.
To achieve those aims the programme shall:
- develop critical and creative thinking on the social and cultural discourse of digital arts;
- investigate cross-disciplinary areas presenting interactivity and communication through digital and electronic technologies;
- experiment with digital technologies as a form of artistic expression;
- raise awareness of particular media, subject to active dialogue between the physical and virtual in the process of creating new, hybrid art forms.
The programme provides knowledge and skills needed to work in the area of digital video and animation; interactive performance and installation art; networked art. Students can also choose optional courses from a selection of additional opportunities, including motion capture; gaming; sound art; machinima etc.
In the first year these aims are achieved through lecture courses, intensive practical seminars, short-term projects, discussions, presentation of guest lecturers and workshops. Students will have equipment at their disposal to develop both individual and team works. Diverse artists and their art will be studied. The programme offers insight into a range of techniques and media.
In the second year students specialise in fields of their choice, and develop interests and skills while working on their diploma projects. They plan and develop their diploma work in collaboration with a leading trainer, and present the result at the end of the fourth semester.
Team: Svetoslav Kokalov, Svilen Stevanov, Rene Beekman, Venelin Shurelov
Guest teachers: Boris Serginov, Krassimir Terziev, Simeon Yanchev and others.
Courses
I. History and Theory of Digital Arts – 5 modules х 45 hours, total 225 hours
The course in history and theory of digital arts is an overview of the contemporary art forms and technological advancements. It looks into past development and possible future opportunities. This course lends itself tot he notion of “history repeating itself” and focuses specifically on the connection between culture and technology in the modern and postmodern discourse. This course aims to develop a critical view of the artwork by combining contextual theory and critical practice.
The course consists of five modules each taught by different trainers.
Modules:
1,2 History and Theory of Digital Art – Part 1 and 2 – 45 hours each, total 90 hours
This module offers an overview of the work of artists and scientists who with their innovative approach have abolished the borders traditionally dividing art from technology. The work and ideas of artists who have investigated new, interactive, interdisciplinary forms are subject to studies, including engineers and mathematicians who developed the information technologies, scientific and philosophical notions that influenced the art – artistic movements and genres like Futurism, Bauhaus, kinetic sculpture, happening, video-art, electronic theatre etc. IT discoveries and new man/machine paradigms are also subject to analysis, including cybernetics, hypertext, the symbiosis between man and machine, graphic consumer interface etc.
3. Screen-based Art – 45 hours
The module studies in greater detail screen-based art from the earliest mechanical experiments for recording and reproduction of moving images, through early experimental cinema, “expanded cinema”, video-art and looks into their impact on contemporary artistic paradigms.
4. Visual composition in time-based art – 45 hours
The course introduces the general principles of time-based composition (in music, dance, drama and screen art). It draws analogies and identifies the differences with static visual-spacial composition. It gives examples of the integration of temporal visual-spacial in the classical synthesis arts – dance, theatre, cinema. It offers an overview of compositional strategies for the movement of the image in time with the old media, and the changes that have taken place since the development of digital art.
II. Video Art
A practical course for students to get basic understanding of the concepts in video production from planning the shoot through editing and completing the product. After this course they will be able to plan and make small video productions or documentary videos.
3. Sound art – 30 hours
In the 20th century sound became an important means of expression in visual arts and sound art has derived from that tradition. The course offers a historical overview of sound art. Students will learn to create their own works with specialise software.
III. Animation – 2 modules, total 150 hours
Modules:
1. Animation – 60 hours
In lectures, discussions and screenings of contemporary works the students are introduced to the principles and techniques of 2D and 3D computer animation. Specialised software will be used in the practical sessions to create 2D and 3D animation.
A practical course for advanced students in 3D animation techniques, including character development, staging, modeling, lighting, particle animation, narrative development.
IV. Interactive performance and installation – 3 modules, total 150 hours
Modules:
1. Electronics for artists – 30 hours
A fun, practical seminar course aimed at introducing students to the basic concepts of electronics. Students learn about the basic principles of electronics and apply them in real-life projects. Their projects are aimed at interface sensors and other automated processes with computer hardware and software. After completion of the course the students will be able to plan, construct and modify simple electronic projects.
2. Systems for interactive art – 60 hours
The students study and build systems for electronic live performance using Max/MSP and some open source tools like PureData, JMax, GEM, Gridflow and Processing. After completing the course students will be able to plan and implement more complex projects for performances using interactive technologies.
3. The actor as an object, the object as an actor – 60 hours
This course is a multimedia workshop in which, through theoretical and practical sessions, the criticism and interaction between body-object, construction-projection, installation-action are studied, on the border between visual and performing art.
VI. Networked art – 60 hours
A course looking at web design as presenting and access to information, and the difference with graphic design deriving from the fluidity of the web design medium. The aim of the course is to combine efficiently all variations of access and presentation. This course covers all major web technologies (xhtml, css, rss, wiki, blogs, php and java programming, etc), accessibility, compatibility standardsm theory and practice of content management and content representation. During the course students will develop a website applying and experimenting with what they have learned.
Elective courses (special courses, workshops)
1. New forms in documentary film – 30 hours
This course is aimed at rediscovery of documentary cinema, borrowing techniques from experimental cinema, video games, interactive performance etc. During the course students create short documentary projects with innovative methods.
2. Motion capture and animation – 30 hours
In this practical course students learn how to use motion capture technologies in animation. After completing the course they will be able to plan and develop small animation projects using motion capture.
