media arts course - UCLA

This course is a survey of the history and development of the media arts. It deals with the many ways in which artists have applied and reacted to new technology and various media from the late 19th century to the present. The approach is media archaeological: the development of media arts will be investigated within a broad cultural and historical framework. Intertextual ties to other cultural forms will be emphasized.

The course has several goals. First of all, it aims at clarifying the notion "media arts", proving the student a broad historical, cultural and aesthetic understanding about the main achievements of the media arts. This give the student conceptual "tools" that may prove helpful in art and design practices purporting to merge art, media and technology. By means of rich demonstration material the course inspires the student in her/his own creativity. It demonstrates that the history of the media arts can be a rich source of inspiration for new forms of creativity.