36-1930J The Demoscene: An Introduction to Programming and Subcultures

Course will cover the history, culture, and aesthetic of the demoscene as a significant part of digital culture. The demoscene is a subculture centered on the creation of non-interactive real-time graphic demonstrations, run as computer programs. Demos existed as early as the 1980s. This subculture began as users performing simple hacks or digital graffiti on their new computers or even when a program was cracked for underground distribution. But soon, the demoscene became a thriving community pushing the limits of computational power, with hundreds of musicians, artists, and graphics hackers making shout-out’s to one another and proving their technical virtuosity. Today’s demoscene, based largely in Europe, is a vibrant and influential digital community, with huge conferences every year. Students will consider artistic and cultural practices emerging from the demoscene and also look at related artworks by artist such as: BEIGE, Brion Gysin Darwinia, JODI, John Klima, and Paperrad. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own demos, using techniques employed by beginning demoscene programmers. The class will culminate in a demo party where students will present their projects.

2 Credits
Repeatable