9246 - NFTs as Evolution, Revolution and/or Fraud (Alumni Labs)

Course Description

How do you take advantage of the growing world of decentralized finance and non-fungible tokens (NFTs)? This course will introduce NFTs, explore different strategies for artists and designers to use, and help you navigate the pros and cons—in other words, help you figure out how to leverage this tool. You will gain practical experience in creating your own NFT and testing the market, while also thinking more critically about the larger implications that arise with their development. For instance, this six-week studio/seminar will expand on this introductory knowledge of NFTs to also focus on the history of design, art and artists' rights with respect to the ownership and transferability of their works. Within these histories, you will examine topics like: unionization/labor rights for art and design, tax evasion, physical and intellectual property rights, social activism and scarcity. Through lectures, readings, group discussions and guest lectures from practicing digital artists, by the end of this course you will be able to decide for yourself the answer to the debatable topic of NFTs as evolution, revolution and/or fraud.

Notes

Alumni Labs is your continuous road home for content that is relevant, forward looking, and connected to RISD's incredible network of graduates. 

Alumni Labs emerges from the understanding that learning and development do not stop once a student graduates from RISD. The Alumni Labs program, an interconnected hub of RISD Alumni, is focused on topics and goals that are important and relevant to personal enrichment and professional development. Courses are designed for alumni and provide spaces for learning that is driven by peer support, expert advice, and a rekindling of curiosity and creative practice. Participants will connect with fellow alumni (classmates, guest speakers/critics, hosts) to explore topics in a way that emphasizes real world relevance and opportunities to network. 

Alumni Labs packages course content in a way that recognizes and implements key RISD concepts such as critique, creative problem solving and critical making. Courses are then delivered to students who are part of the same creative community of like-minded peers who value these concepts. Development and networking do not stop once the course concludes. Students who complete the class will be given exclusive access to the RISD Network’s Alumni Labs page for continuous access to resource sharing and peer/expert engagement.