Course Title: Visualising Data Through Art

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Visualising Data Through Art

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

VART3633

City Campus

Undergraduate

340H Art

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2017,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020

Course Coordinator: Mark Edgoose

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3540

Course Coordinator Email: mark.edgoose@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 24, Level 2


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

This course introduces you to the use of data and statistics as a primary material for art practice. Through a blend of teacher guided and student directed learning you will explore a range of analogue and digital principles, techniques and best practices for the collection, analysis and management of data. You will produce a series of data-driven artworks in a variety of media, from analog sculptural works using found objects and materials, to photographic, multimedia, kinetic and electronic visualisations of both static and dynamic data sets. The course and assessment design will support you to critically reflect on the social, political and rhetorical uses of visualizing data in society. You will leverage the affordances of life-logging, big data and networked information to find whimsical, socially meaningful, critical or analytical data narratives. Your developed skills and knowledge will enable you to develop your own unique data aesthetic through experimentation within and outside of your own specialty art practice, in visual, plastic, screen-based or experimental arts.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

You will develop capabilities in the management of data for the purposes of creating artworks.


Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Experiment with principles, techniques and best-practices of data collection and management
• Source, interpret and visually present data through the production of original artworks in a variety of media • Critically analyse and apply relevant theoretical material to the discussion of data-driven art works
• Reflect on and critique your own work and the work of your others


Overview of Learning Activities

In this course you will be encouraged to experiment with data as a primary material in your art practice to establish and communicate ‘data narratives’. You will engage in a range of group and individual activities such as making works, experimenting with materials, practice based research, workshops, seminars, lectorials, site visits, reflective writing, documentation and record keeping, group discussions, presentations and consultations on your work. You will also receive verbal and/or written feedback on your work from academic staff and your peers during the student consultations, workshops and tutorials. You will be required to keep a course journal and you will participate in individual and group critiques and reviews. These processes of reflection and feedback will help you track your learning and progress in the course against the specified learning outcomes and capabilities for this course.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. The University Library has extensive resources for Fine Art students. The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies http://rmit.libguides.com/cat.php?cid=29908 The Library provides guides on academic referencing http://www.rmit.edu.au/library/referencing and subject specialist help via your Liaison Librarian Grayzyna Rosinka grazyna.rosinska@rmit.edu.au


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the learning outcomes of this course. The work resulting from your studio practice and research will be presented for assessment. Assessment will include:

  1. Group Presentation 10%
  2. Preliminary prototypes and methods 20%  
  3. Resolved visualisation artwork(s) 40%
  4. Research and documentation sustained over duration of course 30%

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or the Disability Liaison Unit if you would like to find out more. A student charter http://www.rmit.edu.au/about/studentcharter summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT student as well as those of your teachers. Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions which are available for review online: http://www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academic#assessment