What can we gain from a deeper understanding of our physical bodies using technology as a critical lens with which to see ourselves?
Our bodies are constantly being shaped and reshaped by technological interfaces, the lines between organic bodies and the machine ever more blurred. Depending on who is doing the manipulation, this leaves us with limited or even unlimited control over our own narratives. What can we do with this power or lack thereof?
Acknowledging our bodies is essential to feeling empowered and gaining a collective understanding of the challenges faced by women, non-binary and queer bodies today. Through this collective knowledge we hope to find acceptance, and work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive society that reflects what we see when we look in the mirror.
In this course, we invite you to see your body anew, and to reclaim it's possibilities, as we explore and collect memories of our selves through visual (footage) and textual means. We will then use TouchDesigner, a visual programming environment, to manipulate and experiment with this footage. To do so, we invite you to engage in both theoretical discussions and practical exercises. TouchDesigner will serve as a tool for better understanding the relationship between technology and physical form and exploring the potential for technology to enhance our self-expression. The hands-on nature of the course will give us a deeper understanding of how technology affects our bodies and how it can be used creatively to share the narratives we wish to convey.
By the end of the course, you will have gained a deeper appreciation of the relationship between technology and the body. You will have developed a better understanding of how technology can enhance self-expression by creating a feedback loop between our bodies and the machine.
School of Machines, Making & Make-believe is running Algorithmic Bodies, a five-week online course on touch designer and the physical form. For more information, and to sign-up visit: https://www.schoolofma.org/programs/p/spring2023-algorithmic-bodies