Understanding Media Theory

UNDERSTANDING MEDIA THEORY 2006-2007
An ongoing DAI project run by John Heymans
This theoretical project is mandatory for first year’s students.
Schedule 2006-2007: October 24, November 23, December 18, January 25, February 23.

In this year’s edition of Understanding Media Theory (2004) John Heymans did five seminars in which he explored the most important notions of media theory. This book, written by biologist Arjen Mulder, is developed particularly for artists and students in art. The title refers to one of the first explorations into the domain of media: Marshall McLuhan's book Understanding Media (1964). Mulder investigates in his book the scope of McLuhan's famous soundbite: 'The medium is the message'. From this starting point he explores the ways in which our means of communication determine what and who we are, how we behave, what we do and do not think about, how our feelings develop and are limited and who we can and cannot reach. In other words, Mulder's book determines such notions as language, image, sound and behaviour. Understanding Media Theory is a first introduction to such important books as: Jonathan Crary's Techniques of the Observer (1990), Jay David Bolter's and Richard Grusin's Remediation (1999) and Lev Manovich's The Language of New Media (2001).
Possibilities to attend media theoretical meetings outside DAI in the context of this project shan't be ignored.

In this theoretical project every participant has to attend the seminars mandatory. Participants can end this project successfully by writing a small paper (1500-2400 words) in which they have to apply one of the media theoretical notions to the work of an artist (but they are not allowed to choose their own work as a topic for this paper). This paper has to be completed before the end of the course year.

UNDERSTANDING MEDIA THEORY 2005-2006
An ongoing DAI project run by John Heymans
Schedule 2005-2006: October 14, November 4, November 18, December 2, December 6, January 20

The participants of this theoretical project will read Understanding Media Theory (2004) together. This book, written by biologist Arjen Mulder, is developed particularly for artists and students in art. The title refers to one of the first explorations into the domain of media: Marshall McLuhan's book Understanding Media (1964). Mulder investigates in his book the scope of McLuhan's famous soundbite: 'The medium is the message'. From this starting point he explores the ways in which our means of communication determine what and who we are, how we behave, what we do and do not think about, how our feelings develop and are limited and who we can and cannot reach. In other words, Mulder's book determines such notions as language, image, sound and behaviour. Understanding Media Theory is a first introduction to such important books as: Jonathan Crary's Techniques of the Observer (1990), Jay David Bolter's and Richard Grusin's Remediation (1999) and Lev Manovich's The Language of New Media (2001).
Possibilities to attend media theoretical meetings outside DAI in the context of this project shan't be ignored.

In this theoretical project every participant has to summarize a little part of the book in the group. In the first meeting the chapters shall be divided. Advices how to write a paper shall be given as well. Participants can end this project successfully by writing a small paper (1500-2400 words) in which they have to apply one of the media theoretical notions to the work of an artist (but they are not allowed to choose their own work as a topic for this paper). This paper has to be completed before the 25th of January 2006.