Sophia Brueckner: Visiting Artist at California College of the Arts

From June 11 — 28, Stamps Assistant Professor Sophia Brueckner will be a visiting artist at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, where she will take part in WEAR-tech, an interdisciplinary course taught by Kyle Chan. Brueckner will be teaching students about science fiction, cyborgs, social interfaces, and technology ethics with a focus on building functional and speculative prototypes exploring the future of wearable technology. 

WEAR-tech introduces students to the new product category of wearable technology. WEAR-tech is product developed for function and adornment on the body, around the body and the body’s relationship to its environment and/​or self. Exploring the territory of technologically integrated fashion, this course goes beyond the ​“wristable.” Students explore the relationship between soft materials and technological advances in sensors, micro-controllers, new conductive paints, trims, yardage materials, threads, yarns, and fibers.

Aesthetics, ethics, environmental impact, and the use of technology in creating wearable products are discussed as prototypes are created. Students assemble a sample design swatchbook of functioning tech form studies that support design ideation development for the use/​wear by humans. The outcome of this soft product development class is the further understanding of technology at work with soft goods materials.