Course detail
Blochchain. Introduction into the narative and technology
FaVU-1BCHNTAcad. year: 2023/2024
The course is designed as a combination of lectures and seminars. The introductory class is followed by three blocks consisting of two lectures and a seminar. The explanatory part is thus complemented by independent work with the text. In the course, students are introduced to exponential blockchain technology and then to its applications: cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, non-fungible tokens, autonomous decentralized organization (DAO). The aim of the semester is to introduce the overall framework and technological specificities of the application of this technology in the context of the operation of contemporary art and design. This course is loosely followed by a series of practically oriented workshops in the summer semester.
Language of instruction
Number of ECTS credits
Guarantor
Entry knowledge
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
Teaching takes place in the classrooms of FaVU VUT in the hours determined by the timetable. The minimum attendance is 85%. Making up missed classes is done in agreement with the teacher in the form of alternative assignments.
Aims
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to navigate the environment of blockchain projects and think critically about their application in their own creative practice. The aim is to develop a critical, conceptual and practical approach to this technology and its applications within artistic practice and artistic research.
Study aids
Prerequisites and corequisites
Basic literature
Recommended reading
Type of course unit
Lecture
Teacher / Lecturer
Syllabus
1. Blockchain - history and technological principles
2. Bitcoin and altcoins - differences, similarities, uses
3. Seminar: Blockchain ecology - proof-of-work vs. proof-of-stake
BLOCK 2: Smart Contracts
4. Ethereum - history and uses
5. Smart contracts - advantages and disadvantages of their application
6. Seminar: Limits of Smart Contracts.
BLOCK 3: NFT
7. Non-fungible token (NFT) - history and practice
8. NFT and Contemporary Art
9. Seminar: Can I do it without blockchain?
BLOCK 4: DAO
10. Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) and how it works
11. Quadratic voting system and its applications
12. Seminar: Is decentralization the solution to all problems? 1
3. COLLOQUIUM: Presentation of the outcomes of the course assignment.