{"id":245,"date":"2026-02-04T13:33:48","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T13:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/?page_id=245"},"modified":"2026-03-25T01:31:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T01:31:15","slug":"fmx-211-media-arts-history-and-theory","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/fmx-211-media-arts-history-and-theory\/","title":{"rendered":"FMX 211 Media Arts: History and Theory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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TITLE:<\/strong> Generative Drawing System<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA:<\/strong> Conceptual \/ Generative Art<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE:<\/strong> Paper and drawing tools<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS:<\/strong> 2D Drawing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS:<\/strong> FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR:<\/strong> Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM:<\/strong> SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION:<\/strong> University of Tampa

DESCRIPTION:<\/strong>
<\/strong>This project explores generative art through a set of simple drawing instructions executed by another participant. Inspired by Sol LeWitt, the work emphasizes the separation between concept and execution, allowing interpretation to shape the final outcome. The project reveals how even minimal systems can produce unpredictable results, highlighting the tension between artistic control and randomness. Through reflection and revision, the work demonstrates how constraints and instruction design influence aesthetic outcomes in generative processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TITLE:<\/strong> Ambient Noise Composition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA:<\/strong> Sound Art \/ Audio Composition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOFTWARE:<\/strong> Audio editing software<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE:<\/strong> iMac OS X, field recording devices<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS:<\/strong> Digital Audio<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS:<\/strong> FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR:<\/strong> Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM:<\/strong> SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION:<\/strong> University of Tampa
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DESCRIPTION:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project explores the boundary between noise and music by composing with recorded environmental sounds. Using everyday audio\u2014such as footsteps, air-conditioning hums, and mechanical sounds\u2014the piece transforms ambient sound into structured rhythm and texture. Influenced by Pierre Schaeffer\u2019s concept of acousmatic listening, the work removes sounds from their original context and reinterprets them as musical elements. The project encourages active listening and challenges traditional definitions of music by highlighting the expressive potential of ordinary sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TITLE:<\/strong> Chess Piece Tower<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA:<\/strong> Sculpture \/ Found Object Construction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOFTWARE:<\/strong> iPhone<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE:<\/strong> Physical chess pieces<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS:<\/strong> 3D Sculpture<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS:<\/strong> FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR:<\/strong> Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM:<\/strong> SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION:<\/strong> University of Tampa
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DESCRIPTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sculptural work transforms chess pieces into a vertical architectural structure, emphasizing balance, tension, and spatial relationships. Inspired by Vladimir Tatlin and Constructivist principles, the project focuses on construction, material logic, and geometric form rather than representation. The arrangement creates a sense of instability and movement, highlighting the dynamic interaction between positive and negative space. By repurposing symbolic game pieces into abstract modules, the work redefines their meaning within a new structural and artistic context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TITLE:<\/strong> Contemplative Self-Portrait<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA:<\/strong> Digital Photography<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOFTWARE:<\/strong> Digital camera processing tools<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE:<\/strong> iMac OS X<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS:<\/strong> Digital Image, RGB<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS:<\/strong> FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR:<\/strong> Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM:<\/strong> SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION:<\/strong> University of Tampa
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DESCRIPTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This self-portrait explores themes of presence, time, and perception through a restrained and contemplative photographic style. Drawing from Walter Benjamin\u2019s concept of \u201caura,\u201d the image emphasizes stillness and interiority rather than expressive immediacy. By avoiding exaggerated gestures and direct engagement with the camera, the work reflects early photographic portraiture and its association with duration and concentration. The project considers how digital photography negotiates identity, reproduction, and authenticity in contrast to historical photographic practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TITLE:<\/strong> Fragmented Perspective Study<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA:<\/strong> Drawing + Photographic Manipulation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOFTWARE:<\/strong> Digital photography tools <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE:<\/strong> iMac OS X <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS:<\/strong> 2D Mixed Media, RGB<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS:<\/strong> FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR:<\/strong> Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM:<\/strong> SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION:<\/strong> University of Tampa

DESCRIPTION:<\/strong>
<\/strong>This project begins with a traditional one-point perspective drawing, which is then physically fragmented, rearranged, and reassembled into an abstract composition. By disrupting the illusion of depth, the work shifts focus from spatial realism to surface, texture, and materiality. Influenced by modernist theory, particularly Clement Greenberg\u2019s emphasis on flatness, the composition rejects hierarchical depth in favor of an \u201call-over\u201d visual field. The project explores how abstraction transforms meaning and challenges conventional representation by foregrounding the medium itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TITLE: <\/strong>Sunset Rocket: Multimedia Illusion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA: <\/strong>Mixed Media Installation \/ Digital Documentation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOFTWARE: <\/strong>iPad (visual display), practical lighting<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE: <\/strong>iMac OS X, LED lights, physical materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS: <\/strong>Variable Installation, RGB<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS: <\/strong>FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR: <\/strong>Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM: <\/strong>SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION: <\/strong>University of Tampa<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DESCRIPTION:<\/strong>
<\/strong>This project is a miniature multimedia installation designed to simulate a rocket launching into a sunset using practical effects and digital display. Inspired by Wagner\u2019s concept of Gesamtkunstwerk<\/em>, the work emphasizes the concealment of technology to preserve illusion. By integrating LED lighting, color gradients, and an iPad as a dynamic backdrop, the project creates a seamless \u201cliving image\u201d that prioritizes sensory immersion over visible construction. The piece explores how media functions as an interface between technology and perception, demonstrating how illusion can transform simple materials into a cinematic experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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TITLE:<\/strong> Art, Technology, and Digital Media<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MEDIA:<\/strong> Written Reflection \/ Critical Analysis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SOFTWARE:<\/strong> Microsoft Word<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARDWARE:<\/strong> iMac OS X<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPECIFICATIONS:<\/strong> 8.5\u00d711 in, RGB, 300 DPI<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CLASS:<\/strong> FMX 211 Media Arts and Theory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROFESSOR:<\/strong> Tim Ridlen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEMESTER \/ TERM:<\/strong> SP 26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

INSTITUTION:<\/strong> University of Tampa
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DESCRIPTION:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This written reflection examines the relationship between art and technology through institutions such as Rhizome and Leonardo\/ISAST. The project explores how digital media transforms the creation, preservation, and experience of art, particularly within time-based and internet-based practices. It considers how born-digital works challenge traditional ideas of permanence, emphasizing fluidity, evolution, and technological dependency. The reflection also highlights how artistic practice intersects with research, positioning media art as both expressive and analytical. Ultimately, the work demonstrates a growing understanding of technology as an integral component of contemporary artistic practice and audience engagement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TITLE: Generative Drawing System MEDIA: Conceptual \/ Generative Art HARDWARE: Paper and drawing tools SPECIFICATIONS: 2D Drawing CLASS: FMX 211… Read more FMX 211 Media Arts: History and Theory<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":256,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-245","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/256"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":428,"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/245\/revisions\/428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pf.fmxut.com\/ifantis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}