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Problems: CryptoCultural Production

Instructor

  • Grayson Earle
  • gearle@oberlin.edu
  • Office Hours: Tuesday (5-6pm), Wednesday (12:30-2:30pm)

Description

Cryptocurrency emerged as a means of decentralizing the financial system and making banks obsolete. Its detractors cite the ways in which it reproduces systems of capital. A critical engagement with this emerging technology is the responsibility of artists and researchers, who must find creative grounds with which to explore this new paradigm. This class examines the history and theory of cryptocurrency, as students learn how to create blockchain tokens, mine crypto, and produce alternative local currencies, for the purposes of cultural production. This class is a studio/seminar hybrid, so students should be prepared to read, discuss, create, and critique.

Learning Goals

  • Produce original analysis of emergent economic systems
  • Fluency of blockchain terminology
  • Art-historical knowledge of cultural producers working with economics as medium
  • Technical ability to utilize cryptocurrencies
  • Understanding the new forms of art enabled by blockchain technology

Attendance & Participation

Students are allowed two unexcused absences, after which each absence or tardiness will negatively impact one's attendance grade by 9%. Being late is equivalent to half an absence. Missing five classes will result in a failing final grade.

Students are expected to participate in class discussion and group critiques regularly. Full participation will require keeping up with the texts. Being unprepared for a discussion, or failing to participate generally, will have a grade penalty equal to tardiness.

Academic Integrity and Honor Code

The Honor Code: Oberlin College students are on their honor to uphold a high degree of academic integrity. All work that students submit is expected to be of their own creation and give proper credit to the ideas and work of others. When students write and sign the Honor Pledge, they are affirming that they have not cheated, plagiarized, fabricated, or falsified information, nor assisted others in these actions.

Honor Pledge: "I have adhered to the Honor Code in this assignment." For more details on academic integrity and the Honor Code, please consult the following link: https://www.oberlin.edu/dean-of-students/student-conduct/academic-integrity

Accommodations / College Disability Services

Students with disabilities of any kind who may need disability-related classroom accommodations for this course are encouraged to contact the staff of Disability Resources at the Center for Student Success. They can be reached at drcss@oberlin.edu or 440-775-5588

I am interested in supporting your success in this course, students needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a documented disability must present me with a letter/documentation from Disability Resources. Please contact me as early as possible so that we can work together.

Counseling and Mental Health

College is an incredible time of discovery, opportunity, and excitement. College can also be an extremely stressful and difficult experience. If you find yourself struggling, there are resources on campus that can help support you in the ways that you need. The Counseling Center is one of those resources. They are available by phone (M-F, 8:30-4:30) at 440-775-8470 and after hours at 440-775-8470, press "2". More info at https://www.oberlin.edu/counseling

Media Lab & Etiquette

You will need to use the Media Lab outside of class in order to complete your projects. Please refer to the lab monitor hours on the door.

Keep the Media Lab neat and tidy. Remember that this is a shared workspace, and to be courteous of other students and their projects.

Grading

  • Attendance: 30%

  • Group discussion: 30%

  • Projects: 40%

  • 90 - 92 -> A-, 93 - 100 -> A

  • 80 - 82 -> B-, 83 - 86 -> B, 87 - 89 -> B+

  • 70 - 72 -> C-, 73 - 76 -> C, 77 - 79 -> C+

  • 60 - 69 -> D, 0 - 50 -> F

Projects

  1. Create a currency, trade it to someone (outside of class; non-Oberlin student might be most interesting) for a something material. This can include a good or service, but try to purchase something other than a "silly dance", "smile" or something to that effect. Document your process and bring the purchased object or documentation to class.

    • In creating your currency, ask yourself: "What do I want this to be worth? Is this exchangeable? Would people consider it to be a legitimate exchange?"

    • Feel free to use existing currencies as a starting point, or to completely re-imagine the mode and materiality of currency. It's possible that the manner in which you facilitate the exchange will be as important or interesting as the currency you develop.

  2. Groups (or solo) create a speculative cryptocurrency/blockchain project. Write a whitepaper, create a website, market your project. Once complete, pitch your project to a panel during class. Be sure to investigate existing projects in the vein of what you are attempting.

    • Again, feel free to create this in the mode of existing projects in the blockchain ecosystem, or to re-imagine the technology, or simply be as absurd or experimental as you would like.

  3. Final project: Work within your chosen medium (in groups or solo) to create work that responds to the concepts in class. This is intended to be open-ended to accommodate varied disciplines and interests. I encourage collaboration for this project.

Disclaimer

This syllabus is subject to change. Students who miss class are responsible for learning about any changes to the syllabus.

Schedule

w1 (9/5)

w2 (9/12)

w3 (9/19)

  • Yom Kippur, no class

w4 (9/26)

  • Exhibit Project 1

w5 (10/3)

w6 (10/10)

w7 (10/17)

  • (I will be at Radical Networks in Berlin, will report back)

w8 (10/31)

w9 (11/7)

Exhibit Project 2

Introduce Final Project

w10 (11/14)

  • discuss & look at work
    • plantoid
      • read De Filippi_Plantoid (from Artists Re:Thinking the Blockchain) on Blackboard
    • terra0
      • read Seidler_terra0 (from Artists Re:Thinking the Blockchain) on Blackboard

w11 (11/21) (pre-thanksgiving... optional)

w12 (11/28)

w13 (12/5)

  • Final Project workshop

w14 (12/12)

  • Show Final Projects

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