This presentation summarizes the first class of the School for Poetic Computation (SFPC), which was a 10-week learning environment held in Brooklyn. It was led by 4 co-founders and had 15 students from diverse backgrounds. Students took classes on topics like coding, electronics, math, art, and more. They also had visits from over 30 guest artists and technologists. The class focused on experimenting with teaching and learning, with an emphasis on student-led workshops, debugging together, and being supportive of one another. By the end, students had produced various works utilizing their new skills and knowledge of computation and its creative applications.

1. SFPC:The First Class at
Eyebeam Art and Technology Center.
November 22nd, 2013
Presented by Taeyoon Choi, Co-founder of SFPC

2. SFPC: The First Class
This presentation is dedicated to the First Class of SFPC

3. I’d like to invite you to a day in SFPC in
33 Flatbush, Downtown Brooklyn.

4. We had four main teachers
who are also co-founders of SFPC.

5. Zach

6. Jen

7. Amit

8. Taeyoon

9. Out of 60+ amazing applicants, we accepted 15 students
from around the world as the first class.

10. Most classes were planned weekly, but schedule was variable upon
needs of the students and availability of teachers.
Myself and Zach were in school 4+ days/ week to help students and
also take care of administration. Casey also helped with admin.

11. There were classes on coding and hacking.
* Zach explaining how pixels work in a morning class

12. There is poetics in the nature of computation:
the place where logic meets electricity,
and math meets language, which we find beautiful.
* Learning logic gates with low level electronics in Taeyoon’s class

13. Zach taught Input and Output and many other classes.
Amit taught Learning Curve.
Jen taught Math for Artists and Art for Mathists and organized
Open Dinners.
Taeyoon taught Drawings and circuits, and organized Art of
walking.

14. We planned classes for experimenting
with teaching and learning.

15. Jen’s Open Dinner was communal cooking and sharing
food and thoughts with special guests.

16. Taeyoon’s Art of Walking was walking and reading

17. What mattered was sharing time to make situations,

18. writing code and reading essays.

19. After few weeks, we started to call homework as ‘Propositions’.

20. Most importantly, student lead workshops ruled.

21. A lot of time just talking

22. Debugging together

23. being attentive and present
Explaining how pixels work
Explaining how pixels work

24. and selflessly helping one another

25. Everyday we met
our rockstars
*30+ visiting artists

26. Bret Victor

27. Ramsey Nasser

28. Brian House

29. Adam Magyar

30. Takahiro Yamaguchi

31. Paola Antonelli

32. Jacob Tonski

33. Caitlin Morris

34. Christine Sun Kim
April 17th, 2013

35. Dan Phiffer

36. Kyle McDonald

37. Syd Lieberman

38. Golan Levin

39. Zach Gage

40. Brian Droitcour

41. Jürg Lehni

42. And so many more
*full list on http:/
/sfpc.io/thefirstclass

43. and, everyday we found
our new rockstars

44. Through small
victories
* Meet the students from SFPC:The First Class

45. Simona de Rosa

46. Jonathan Dahan

47. Ishac Bertran

48. Andy Clymer

49. Jon Wohl

50. Jason Levine

51. Moises Sanabria

52. Claire Lin

53. Jesse Wolpert

54. Le Wei

55. Tega Brain

56. Mini Kim

57. Motoi Shimizu

58. Rachel Uwa

59. Paul Chang

60. Casey Gollan
*admin superpower

61. Yoobi
*special guest

62. Just a few special moments to remember

63. Everything is amazing during

64. The Golden Hour

65. Open dinners

66. hosted by amazing chef Jen

67. And many prototypes
*Simona’s Tasted performance

68. everyone tried something for the first time.

69. *we also had Fruit Flies and few tough moments.

70. Most importantly, making friends

71. and making art for the future.

72. Info from Eyebeam website:
School for Poetic Computation, or SFPC, is an experimental education and research
initiative in the form of a ten week learning environment. It is led by former Eyebeam
fellows Zachary Lieberman and Taeyoon Choi with Amit Pitaru and Jen Lowe. In
partnership with Eyebeam Art & Technology Center, the school will present SFPC: The
First Class from November 20th to 23rd, a survey of unconventional learning processes
featuring fifteen artists from their first class.
Through an open call, SFPC accepted these individuals from diverse backgrounds and
locations around the world. Since September 15th, they have occupied a sun light filled
loft in downtown Brooklyn attending lectures and workshops and averaging days of 12+
hours spent together. Classes covered topics from basic electronics, programming,
math, cooking and walking and were accompanied by a program of guest lectures and
workshops offered by leading artists and technologists.These students have produced
teaching tools, software and hardware, interventions and provocations, asking
questions on the poetics and creative use of computation.
http:/
/sfpc.io