Project Title: Tokenisation and digital currency      

Image credits:

a. ‘Abyss film’, James Richards and Leslie Thorntons 

b. Woody and Steina Vasulka              

c. Zach Blas, ‘Contra internet; jubilee 2033’                               

Project Review (approx. 150 words)

My project realisation is formally concerned with using research and online data to create an interactive piece of digital work. Studying on the Graphic Communication course has been beneficial in my interest in exploring a variety of mediums and techniques whilst being introduced to designers. I found the interactive project pushed me to be bolder and more confident with my concepts. I am interested in directing my project in an interactive manner in response to the Interact project which included a collaborative side to the project, thus I enjoyed the Guilty Pleasure project where I created a virtual environment in response to another student's guilty pleasure.

Project Concept & Description (approx. 250 words)

The concept of my project is based on my interest in the digital realm and the new age of ‘post-internet’ art, specifically the ‘crypto-revolution’ that has been established online through a system of ‘tokenization’. Thus, companies such as Nike are using tokenization along with the contemporary art market to benefit from this new type of ‘cryptocurrency’. The aim of my project is to explore the creative methods I can undertake to materialise ‘digital’ commerce, specifically Bitcoin which takes up only digital space; Yuk Hui’s, ‘On the Existence of Digital Objects’ has been greatly influential in developing my concept in terms of giving ‘material’ space to digital forms. Similarly, the artist Zach Blas’s project ‘contra internet’ which explores how free-market approaches can turn into extremism online, which people argue Bitcoin is following a right-wing approach. I am interested in exploring the culture of tokenization in relation to digital objects and the more ‘democratic’ practice of finance. Due to the virtual nature of my concept, I intend to develop my code skills in a creative manner in order to explore the digital currency online. Due to the nature of my interests, I intend the form to take up virtual space whether that results in a game-like experience or I create a new culture in response to the currency of tokenization. I think technical resources will be realised once I have a clearer idea of my intended form and audience, however, resources like the library and online archives will help support my project.

Project Evaluation

I intend to use the contextual review section of workflow in order to constantly evaluate the progression of my project daily; furthermore, as I intend for my final outcome to be interactive online I think peer-assessment would support my project greatly. Similarly, as I intend for my work to be virtual it is important I get peer feedback as my project progresses in order to create the most successful outcome that reflects my initial concept.

 Proposed Research Resources and Bibliography

1. ‘The Key Concepts’, Debra Benita Shaw
2. ‘Mapping Cyberspace’, Martin Dodge and Rob Kitchin
3. ‘The Politics of Bitcoin; Software as Right-wing Extremism’, David Golumbia
4. ‘Digital Gold, The Untold Story of Bitcoin’, Nathaniel Popper
5. ‘The Question Concerning Technology in China’, Yuk Hui 
6. ‘On the Existence of Digital Objects’, Yuk Hui
7. ‘A Cyborg Manifesto’, Donna J. Haraway
8. ‘The Missing Crypto Queen; exploring Dr Ruja Ignatova’, Jamie Bartlett
9. ‘The Language of New Media’, Lev Manovich
10.  ‘Sorcery, or code as fetish’, Wendy Hui Kyong Chun
11.  ‘Manifesto Contrasexual, Paul Preciado

Essays:

12. ‘Clinical Cosmology: Tishan Hsu’, Hera Chan

13. ‘Contra-Internet, e-flux’, Zach Blas

Videos:

14. ‘HyperNormalisation’, Adam Curtis

Project Action Plan and Timetable:

**First draft feedback:

I think with my first project draft it is too broad in terms of my ideas and I don't think I make direct references enough to my research resources; I additionally think my project review could be a lot stronger through relating to more projects undertaken during part 2 and being more evaluative of the skills I have gained through the course. 

Tutor feedback (first draft):  17/02

Project concept: Generally good and includes contextual referring of both subject and of art and design practice, how might I incorporate primary research as the subject is quite complex (possibly use people around me to begin to research how age differs this). Outlined dangers of digital currencies, so what is the aim of the project? Challenge/educate or promote. 

Evaluation: Repetitive, no mention of tutor feedback or crit?

Bibliography: sources need to be formatted in Harvard style + group sources by type (add TED talks related to the theme, already started researching but haven't included in Bib.). 

Response - I will begin responding to this feedback and add additional references to my bibliography that I have researched more recently. 

Final Draft: 

Going through the process of creating a project proposal has been greatly beneficial to gagging a deeper understanding of my subject matter and what I intend to realise throughout the project process; similarly grouping all my research and evaluating how I will effectively critic my work has been helpful. Similarly, completing a week by week progress form is a plan I intend to carry out weekly in order to continuous achieve an outcome per week. I will need to present the project timetable in my outcome on Monday to show my first completed section of my project; completing the timetable has made me aware that designing a currency for Bitcoin and creating a virtual cryptocurrency environment using Sketchup would be a good place to start in response to my research.