This introductory course is for students who want to develop interactive projects and artistic performances using TouchDesigner as the main tool. We'll move through three stages: first, an introduction to programming thinking and fundamentals; second, going from text-based programming to visual programming, and how different they are; and third, building networks in TouchDesigner and testing them through the movement of our bodies. While technology is the central focus, the course's second pillar is body-based artistic exploration. Drawing on the Fluxus movement, we'll approach programming itself as a creative process: thinking of instructions with poetical potential, and writing pseudocode as scores for events and actions. "Performing for Machines" is about developing an embodied understanding of technology, and how these tools prompt movement: of bodies, of individuals, of societies. No prior experience with visual programming or performance art is required. The course is participation-based, and attendance is essential. |
