Metadata
Title
Special Subject: Art, Culture, and Technology
Category
courses
UUID
3cec8ff2d65e4aedb52e6ab599cecb72
Source URL
https://act.mit.edu/academics/courses/special-subject-art-culture-and-technology...
Parent URL
https://act.mit.edu/academics/courses/
Crawl Time
2026-03-23T02:33:51+00:00
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Special Subject: Art, Culture, and Technology

Source: https://act.mit.edu/academics/courses/special-subject-art-culture-and-technology-beginners-guide-to-visualizing-data-and-life-like-processes-in-digital-art-fall-2025/ Parent: https://act.mit.edu/academics/courses/

Instructor : Matej Vakula

TA : William Allsetter

Units : 3-3-6 (4.S37) U 3-3-3 (4.S33) G

Lab Fee : Per-term $75 fee after Add Date; SMACT students are exempt

Credit : 3-3-6 (4.S37) U 3-3-3 (4.S33) G

Schedule : TR 930-1230

Location : E15-054

This is an incredible opportunity to dive into the basics of biomimicry and natural algorithms in computational design and artificial life. Prior programming or modeling software experience is not needed. Advanced folks will be accommodated on an individual project-based track. Students learn about the cultural and visual implications of automation and biotechnological advancements driven by computational technology, exploring their aesthetic significance through the analysis of data and algorithms.

This course is designed as a beginner’s guide to ethical solutions to design problems in computational design and data concerning nature through visualization and art. It is structured to be accessible and considerate of the broader impact of design decisions on communities, society, and culture. Students will receive a low-level, beginner-friendly introduction to the basics of data visualization in processing and Python, biomimicry, agent-based systems in Grasshopper visual coding, and C# and animation in Maya.

Learning Objectives/Pedagogy: