“Usurp the body. Become your avatar. Be the glitch.”

(Legacy Russell, Glitch Feminism. A Manifesto)

Declining the idea of “digital dualism”, the lecture reflects on our contemporary Reality as one in which the virtual informs the physical, and vice-versa as well as look at the idea of body and Avatar and how our digital personas are not separated constructions but rather actualisations of our personhood. Theoretical and historical examples as well as practical exercise will help the participants exploring the artistic potential of world-building and interaction to represent “other realities” and questioning the idea of self, identity, body and space by embodying the virtual, re-mapping and re-structuring the physical and performing within a (new) Hybrid Reality.

“Virtual Reality projects frequently promise experiences so realistic you won’t believe that you are in VR. I’m interested in the opposite […] these emerging technologies can be used to capture the abstract, the confusing, the hidden, the complicated”
(Claire Hentschker)

In this semester, the lecture "Digital Design and Virtuality I" offers a journey into the use (and misuse) of video games material and language to create Virtual, Simulation, Interactive, and Game Art. After an overview of historical and contemporary examples laying the groundwork for the exploration of the Virtual as an artistic medium, the lecture provides a practical introduction to the contemporary game engine Unity3D as well as to experimental 3D using a variety of free / open source media and apparatuses for asset creation.

On the last lecture day, participants will present the projects developed during the semester that reflects on the lecture’s topic and incorporates any of the tools provided.

To fullfill the lecture participants will:

- Develop a working project during the lecture
- Present the final project (including visual documentation)
- Attend and actively participate in the lecture (min 75% presence)

- The Lecture will be held in English.
- The Practical part of the lecture will take in account the skill level of the participants and is intended for both beginners and advance levels. This means no previous skills are necessary but any previous skill will be welcome (especially in photo/video/3D).
- You will need access to a laptop and smartphone. If you should not be able to do that, please contact the lecturer via email to discuss alternatives.
- Participation and engagement in the lecture is essential and required to complete the semester.