School
for
Poetic
Computation
In Poetic Hardware we learn computational hardware as a way to engage with the physical world and broaden our creative practices. This workshop is supported by a custom electronics learning kit intended for beginners to learn about analog + digital electronics, a programmable micro-controller, sensors and mechanisms through a lens of legibility and thoughtful exploration.
Images courtesy of teachers.
Recent and startling advances in technology have transformed the way we work with computers. Our capacity to create has drastically increased, while our relationship to the media, the material of computation, has been reshaped.
In this one day workshop, we’ll cover some of the basic principles behind how computers work by examining and assembling a curated selection of basic electronic circuits. The goal here is not to teach electronic circuit design, but to provide an opportunity to peek at the building blocks of computation, through the lens of computer hardware, and gain a closer relationship to the material of computation.
This workshop is intended for people with all ranges of skills and experience. We’ll cover topics such as binary logic and transistors, but also discuss why insight into some of the fundamentals of computation may support a creative practice.
Participants will go home with a circuit board, designed by the instructors and assembled during the workshop.
Participants will be expected to attend the workshop for the full day. We will be working with our hands.
No technical experience required
The following materials will be provided for students:
Students will need to bring:
This class may be for you if you:
This class may NOT be for you if you:
Che-Wei Wang [pron. sey-wey] is an artist, designer & architect with expertise in computational and generative design, fabrication technologies, electronics, CNC machining, and metal manufacturing. The results range from architecture & sculpture to interactive installations & mobile apps. He is the winner of the 2003 SOM fellowship and the Young Alumni Achievement Award from Pratt Institute. Che-Wei has taught courses on design, time, creative computing, and inflatables, at various institutions. He is an alumnus of MIT Media Lab, ITP at NYU, and Pratt Institute.
he/him
· website
· instagram
Taylor Levy [pron. tey-ler] is an artist & designer with a penchant for taking things apart, understanding how they work, and then putting them back together in a way that exposes their inner workings.The results take on a variety of forms from low-tech electronic sculpture to high-tech software & other executions. She has work on view at The Leonardo Museum of Science and Technology and was a resident at Fabrica Interactive in Treviso, Italy. She is an alumna of MIT Media Lab, ITP at NYU, and Vassar College.
· website
· twitter
· instagram
Applications are not required for workshops. Signups will remain open as long as seats remain. A limited number of scholarship tickets will be released via the SFPC email list two weeks before the date of the intensive.
For 1 classes, it costs $350 + processing fees, for a one-time payment. We also offer payment plans. Participants can schedule monthly payments of the same amount. First and last payments must be made before the start and end of class. *Processing fees apply for each payment.
SFPC processes all payments via Withfriends and Stripe. Please email admissions@sfpc.study if these payment options don't work for you.
For more information about what we look for in applicants, scholarships, and other frequently asked questions, please visit our applicant FAQ.
Interested in more learning opportunities at the School for Poetic Computation? Join our newsletter to stay up to date on future sessions and events, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter. Support our programming through scholarships. Get in touch over email.